For a mathematical group more unremarkably associated with insurgency and war , the Taliban have taken a quite bizarre step and cut a “ special statement ” in the name of its leader , Haibatullah Akhundzada , to call on Afghans to plant more trees .
“ Tree plantation plays an important role in environmental protection , economical maturation and beautification of Earth , ” the public argument – which was dish out in four languages , including English – reports the leaderas directing . It name on Afghanistani citizen and fighters alike to “ plant one or several fruit or non - fruit tree for the … welfare of Maker Allah ’s creations , ” a subject matter in bleak contrast to the common statement that discourse fight against the Afghanistani political science and NATO - backed strength .
Despite its reputation as a dry and parched nation , Afghanistan is a massively varied country . From snow - capped deal , home to snow leopards in the eastward , to the pistachio nut woodlands in the north and the waterless deserts to the due south , there is a mickle going on in the landlocked country . But after decades of fighting and war , the environment has paid a heavy price , not least the forests which have steadily been disappearing .
Between 1990 and 2005it is think that around a third of the res publica ’s forests have been log , while in some responsibility , such as Nangarhar and Kunar , this has uprise to at least a half . “ Almost no trees could be detected in Badghis and Takhar provinces in 2002 by satellite instruments , compared with 55 percent and 37 percent land cover severally in 1977,”a 2003 written report found . The chief driver behind this intense disforestation is for firewood used by citizens for cookery , as well as illegal lumber sales .
The spokesman for the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani wasnot specially receptiveto the Taliban ’s foray into environmentalism , dismissing it as an endeavour to “ deceive public opinion ” from what the group has really been doing . “ Since the establishment of the Taliban movement the only things that these the great unwashed have in their intellect are campaign , crime and destruction , ” said Shah Hussain Murtazawi . “ How is it possible for the Taliban to think about planting trees or protecting the surround in the land ? ”
Akhundzada has been the leader of the Taliban since May 2016 , after the previous leader was killedin a US airstrikein Pakistan . Analysts thinkthat this up-to-the-minute instruction may be an attempt to try and show the citizens what it would be like if the Taliban took power , in a like mineral vein to how they have been building route and base .
