A retired Pakistani industrialist sent thousands of saplings to
Iraq on Friday to bring shade to pilgrims, an idea formed when his relatives returned from a holy site with sunburn.
Mohammedi Durbar, 85, wants to plant nearly 50,000 trees along the entire 80-km (50-mile) pilgrimage route between Iraq's Shi’ite Muslim holy cities of Najaf and Kerbala.
Among the worshippers last year were Durbar's grandson and daughter-in-law, who returned to
Pakistan tanned and with photographs showing a barren landscape.