Balochistan’s “10 Billion Tree” Project Limited to Paper Claims, PAC Raises Serious Questions Over Performance and Funds

Quetta – The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has raised serious concerns over the performance of the “10 Billion Tree Tsunami Programme” in Balochistan, questioning its transparency, execution, and financial management during its latest meeting held under the chairmanship of Asghar Ali Tareen.
The meeting was attended by committee members including Wali Muhammad Noorzai, Zabid Ali Reki, Ghulam Dastgir Badini, Muhammad Khan Lehri, Rehmat Saleh Baloch, and Safia Bibi, along with senior officials from the Forest and Wildlife Department, Assembly Secretariat, and Audit Department.
During the session, a special audit report on the “Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme (TBTTP) Phase-I” and the “Green Pakistan Programme” for the period 2019–2022 was reviewed. The report highlighted financial irregularities, weak internal controls, violation of rules, and failure to achieve project targets.
According to the audit findings, the project aimed to plant over one billion saplings; however, only around 12.5 million saplings were reportedly planted. The report also pointed out serious issues including failure to conduct environmental impact assessments, non-compliance with PC-1 targets, missing records, lack of monitoring and evaluation, questionable expenditures, splitting of payments to avoid open tenders, payments for incomplete work, and alleged fake completion reports.
Committee members expressed strong dissatisfaction over the project’s performance and transparency.
PAC member Wali Muhammad Noorzai stated that despite huge allocations, the project has failed to show visible impact on the ground.
Zabid Ali Reki noted that plantation efforts in districts like Washuk were almost negligible, adding that public benefit from the project was not visible.
Ghulam Dastgir Badini termed the financial irregularities and poor planning as serious concerns that have damaged the credibility of the entire programme.
Muhammad Khan Lehri pointed out that in Nasirabad, there is little to no evidence of plantation work on the ground, and also highlighted encroachment on forest land as a major issue.
Rehmat Saleh Baloch said that in Panjgur, the project has remained limited to paperwork with no meaningful plantation activity.
Safia Bibi remarked that the programme has remained confined to official files and announcements, with no tangible benefits reaching the public.
Chairman PAC Asghar Ali Tareen directed that minutes of departmental accounts committee meetings be shared with PAC without delay. He also questioned delays in recruitment processes and instructed that strict action be taken as per the directives of the Chief Minister of Balochistan.
Committee members further raised concerns about the survival of planted saplings, questioning how protection is ensured when livestock reportedly consume young plants.
The PAC announced that it will conduct field visits across districts to verify ground realities and review all audit paras in detail in the next meeting, with potential for stricter action based on findings.