On International Youth Day, Lahore Cares, a project of LifeAtLahore founded by civic leader Syed Kashf Ahmed (ShahofLahore), in collaboration with Alkhidmat Foundation, organised Lahore’s largest youth-led plantation drive, planting 6,500 trees to symbolise Pakistan’s 65 per cent youth population taking the lead in climate action. The #6500for65 initiative was held at the Ring Road–Multan Road interchange near Bahria Town. More than 30 youth societies, over 200 volunteers and 50 social media influencers participated, alongside community members, environmental advocates and representatives from Lahore’s minority communities, reflecting the campaign’s focus on inclusivity and interfaith harmony. Distinguished guests included Ben Warrington, head of the Lahore office at the British High Commission; Dr Mushtaq Ahmed Mangat, vice president of Alkhidmat Foundation Pakistan; and Engr Ahmad Hammad Rashid, president of Alkhidmat Foundation Lahore. They joined youth participants in planting the first saplings, underscoring the shared responsibility of local and global communities in tackling environmental challenges. “Today, we did not just plant trees. We planted hope, ownership and a promise for a greener Pakistan. With 65 per cent of our population under the age of 30, our youth must lead climate action from the front, not as spectators but as active guardians of our shared future. Today we saw this leadership cutting across faiths, backgrounds and communities,” said Syed Kashf Ahmed, founder of LifeAtLahore and the voice behind ShahofLahore. The plantation drive also addressed the urgency of reversing Lahore’s shrinking green cover, which has declined by an estimated 70 per cent over the past two decades, contributing to worsening air quality and extreme summer heat. Kashf emphasised that the initiative aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goal 13 (Climate Action) and that the trees planted are expected to absorb several thousand kilogrammes of carbon dioxide annually, improve air quality and provide critical shade in urban areas. In a symbolic gesture, schoolchildren planted saplings in honour of future generations, capturing the spirit of the day and blending symbolic action with measurable environmental impact. Syed Kashf Ahmed said Lahore Cares plans to replicate the model across other districts in Punjab later this year, turning Independence Week into a platform for sustained climate action.
