Pakistan set a world record by planting over 532,887 saplings in a day beating earlier record of India when 447,874 saplings were planted in Assam.

15 groups of 300 men planted mangrove saplings ‘Rhizophora Mucronata’ on the coastal island on ‘Khedewari’ along the shores of Keti Bandar in Thatta district using only the daylight..

The tree plantation drive was organized by the federal ministry of environment in cooperation with the Sindh forest department and local people and in financial coordination with the National Bank of Pakistan. The plantation was organized as part of a series of events planned by the ministry to mark the National Year of Environment.

In view of global significance of mangrove forests, particularly in the context of the tsunami of 2005, the event was planned in the mangrove areas on the coastal island, which are devoid of vegetation. In Sindh, mangroves of the Indus delta exist in Thatta, Badin and Karachi districts. The presently found species are known as Avicennia marina, Rhizophora mucronata, Aegiceras corniculatum and Ceriops tagal, which covered a total area of 607,344 hectares owned by the Sindh forest department, the Sindh Board of Revenue, the Port Qasim Authority, the Karachi Port Trust and others.

Experts feel that while oil spills and the cutting of mangroves for firewood have led to a decline in the numbers of mangrove trees, the current exercise will aid not only in increasing those numbers, but also in raising awareness about conservation and rehabilitation of forests.

The Adjudicator of Guinness Book of World Records, Pakistan, also visited the site and told that the process of enlistment in the Guinness Book would be carried out after a reassessment of plantation.