Staying true to its commitment towards social and environmental responsibilities, Hutchison Ports Pakistan (HPP) has partnered with World Wildlife Fund – Pakistan (WWF-P) for ‘Rung Do Pakistan’ initiative. HPP will be planting nearly 500,000 saplings of mangrove trees along Karachi’s coastal belt over the next five years. A virtual signing ceremony for the project was held recently. Under the plan, almost 50 hectares of space will be covered with 100,000 saplings every year.
WWF-P has initiated the Rung Do Pakistan project to counter excessive deforestation while simultaneously supporting Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Ten Billion Tree Tsunami campaign.
Speaking at the occasion of the signing ceremony, Andy Tsoi, MD MEA, Hutchison Ports, stated; “Like all responsible global businesses, we, at Hutchison Ports, strive to create value not only for our shareholders but also for the local communities where we work. We are committed to Community Investment as part of our corporate Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals. In this connection we decided to partner with a reliable organization like WWF Pakistan to not only plant but also to take care of mangrove saplings for a sustainable environmental impact.”
Further adding his comments, Hammad Naqi Khan, WWF-Pakistan, noted: “Pakistan is a country with just 3% tree cover and one of the highest deforestation rates in the region. It is a welcome initiative that Prime Minister Imran Khan has taken to plant 10 billion trees in this regard and we are excited to sign this MoU, playing a part in facilitating sincere steps for sustaining critical ecosystems and other habitats. The role of corporate sector is crucial and we extend our gratitude to HPP for their support in increasing green cover and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”
About Hutchison Ports Pakistan:
Hutchison Ports Pakistan is situated at the estuary of the Keamari Groyne basin, providing the most convenient access to ships entering Karachi. The new facility is the closest Pakistan port to the shipping lanes in the Arabian Sea. Its prime location offers the shortest steaming time from the Fairway Buoy, and will bring real benefits to customers, relating to time, cost, reduction in risk of delays, and reduced carbon emissions.
Hutchison Ports Pakistan is a member of Hutchison Ports, the port and related services division of CK Hutchison Holdings Limited (CK Hutchison). Hutchison Ports is the world’s leading port investor, developer and operator with a network of port operations in 52 ports spanning 26 countries throughout Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, the Americas and Australasia. Over the years, Hutchison Ports has expanded into other logistics and transportation-related businesses, including cruise ship terminals, airport operations, distribution centers, rail services and ship repair facilities.