ISLAMABAD, July 2 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday launched an initiative to preserve nature by protecting and promoting 15 national parks in an effort to increase the country's forest cover.

The prime minister inaugurated the Protected Areas Initiative which is part of his government's Green Stimulus vision launched earlier this year to increase forest cover and create jobs amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The government will protect, govern and manage 15 national parks ecologically," said Khan, adding that out of these national parks nine will be new while six others were announced previously but were never protected.

He told the launching ceremony that the initiative will benefit future generations and almost 5,000 direct jobs will be generated related to these parks in the initial phase.

According to the prime minister, the national parks will be opened for the public once the government has finalized the guidelines for tourists.

Advisor to the Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam said one of the purposes of the project is to rebuild the pandemic-hit economy and stimulate sustainable green growth.