China-funded forest flourishes in Pakistan's Gwadar as symbol of friendship

GWADAR, Pakistan -- As the sea breeze swept through a vibrant forest just a few yards away from the bustling Gwadar Port, here in Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province, Muhammad Iqbal called out firmly from a corner, instructing his subordinates to water the plants carefully, making sure not to trample the delicate saplings.

For the 57-year-old fellow, who has been working with the port for the last 16 years, this friendship forest is not just a collection of greenery but a personal labor of love.

As one of the pillar projects of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the Gwadar Port has been operated by China Overseas Port Holding Company (COPHC) since 2013.

Launched in 2013, CPEC, the flagship project of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, is a corridor linking the Gwadar Port in southwest Pakistan's Balochistan province with Kashgar in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which highlights energy, transport, and industrial cooperation in the first phase, while in the new phase expands to fields of agriculture and livelihood, among others.

"This place was once barren, with nothing but dust blowing around all day," he recalled. "One day, a Chinese manager from COPHC told me that they were going to transform this land into a forest, and that is how it all began."

"We have selected tree species suitable for local climate with wind-breaking and sand-fixing functions for the greening project," said Wang Ruilei, who was in charge of greening at COPHC, adding that after joint efforts from both sides, more than 4,000 trees have been planted in the friendship forest in Gwadar.

The once-empty plot has now blossomed into a lush sanctuary, and the seedlings that Iqbal planted are now grown into strong trees providing beautiful scenery and fresh air to the people of Gwadar.

"As per our observation, the maximum ground temperature in a year used to reach 52 degrees Celsius, but now it is around 43 degrees Celsius," said Wang, "I am proud to say that I can feel the improvement of the local climate brought by the forest."

The forest has seen Chinese ambassadors to Pakistan and foreign ambassadors from countries like the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and the European Union to Pakistan plant trees during their visits to Gwadar, and each tree stands as a symbol of growing diplomatic ties between Pakistan and these nations.

Bilal Javed, Iqbal's subordinate who joined him a year ago, has been assigned the most crucial responsibility of nurturing the plants the dignitaries had planted.

"Iqbal is meticulous about these plants," Bilal said, adding that "they represent memories of our foreign guests, and we must ensure they flourish -- just like Pakistan's relations with China and these countries."

The 27-year-old said that the forest also motivated him and many other young people of Gwadar to replicate the good work and plant trees at their homes.

"Before this forest, this area used to be dusty and warm, but with all this greenery, the air feels cleaner and fresher," Bilal said, taking a deep breath as the breeze rustled the leaves of the trees overhead.

As a key component of the Chinese Ambassador's Green Employment Plan Project, the forest has helped promote local employment and increased farmers' income in Gwadar.

In a conversation with Xinhua, Allah Buksh, another forester in the forest, said the trees and shrubs planted in the forest have provided a large amount of feed for the sheep farm.

"Chinese staff has also taught local farmers techniques such as cuttings, grafting, scientific weeding, and fertilization to increase crop yields," he added.

The transformation of this once-desolate land into a flourishing forest has not only beautified the port area but has also sparked a green movement, making Iqbal plan to expand the forest of the kind to other parts of the city.

"The Chinese workers not only planted the trees and covered the cost of water tankers to irrigate the plants, but also frequently visited to ensure the forest's upkeep. I hope that they will further expand this good work," Iqbal said.

As each tree in the friendship forest grows, it serves as a living testament to the enduring bonds between Pakistan and China, besides promoting environmental stewardship in the region.