ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasized his country’s resolve to fight climate change on Wednesday, urging the global community to recognize the shared responsibility to protect the planet by taking the right steps while moving forward.
Pakistan ranks among the top ten countries most vulnerable to climate change, having experienced severe droughts, floods and heat waves in recent years.
The catastrophic floods of 2022 particularly underscored this susceptibility, inflicting over $38 billion in damages to homes, farmlands and public infrastructure across the nation.
The prime minister, who is currently on a five-day China visit, issued the message on World Environment Day, which is commemorated annually on June 5.
“Today, on the occasion of #WorldEnvironmentDay, let us join hands to safeguard and preserve our environment, not only for the well-being of people but also for the survival of our planet,” he wrote in a social media post.
“Though we cannot turn back time, we can certainly make a significant impact on the health and sustainability of our environment by taking proactive steps toward endeavors to nurture and cultivate forests, revive and replenish dwindling water sources, and rehabilitate and revitalize exhausted soils,” he added.
In a detailed statement issued by his office in Islamabad, Sharif said his country had a firm resolve to combat environmental challenges and stands committed for contributing to global efforts toward sustainability.
“Initiatives such as the Green Pakistan Programme, Living Indus Initiative, and National Adaptation Plan, underscore our commitment to reforestation and ecosystem restoration, tackling issues of deforestation and biodiversity loss head-on,” he said.
The prime minister noted Pakistan’s climate diplomacy efforts, particularly its role in establishing a Loss and Damage Fund during COP27, had been widely recognized.
He maintained on the domestic front, Pakistan was actively working on developing sustainable long-term low-carbon development strategies with assistance from United Nations Development Program and the World Bank.
PM Sharif calls for global unity in climate action, highlights Pakistan’s commitment
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PM Sharif calls for global unity in climate action, highlights Pakistan’s commitment
- PM issues the message on World Environment Day for the well-being of people and survival of the planet
- He calls for ‘proactive steps’ to nurture and cultivate forests, revive and replenish dwindling water sources
Pakistan announces plan to develop Port Qasim into climate-resilient industrial complex
- Port Qasim handles 51% of Pakistan’s sea trade, facilitates Islamabad’s trade with Central Asian states
- Maritime affairs ministry says 833 industrial units currently operational at Port Qasim, with 40 under construction
KARACHI: Pakistan’s Maritime Affairs Ministry announced on Monday that it aims to develop Port Qasim into a climate-resilient industrial complex, saying the move would create jobs, usher in investment and ensure sustainable development for the country.
According to its website, Port Qasim is one of the largest contributors to Pakistan’s economy, handling 51 percent of the country’s sea trade. The port also connects directly to Pakistan’s national highway and motorway network, facilitating trade between Afghanistan and the Central Asian Republics.
Pakistan has recently attempted to upgrade its port infrastructure to handle higher trade volumes and improve connectivity between sea lanes and landlocked Central Asian states, leveraging its geographic position at the crossroads of South and Central Asia.
Maritime Affairs Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry chaired a meeting to discuss projects related to Port Qasim, the ministry said in a statement.
“During the meeting, a long-term plan for a climate-resilient industrial complex at Port Qasim was announced,” the statement said.
Chaudhry said Port Qasim would be developed into a global industrial and logistics hub, adding that it will become a “key gateway” for Pakistan’s national economy.
Officials briefed the minister that the development project for the port would cover an area of more than 14,000 acres. The port’s industrial complex has been divided into three distinct zones, with the eastern one designated for heavy industry and export-oriented units, and the northwestern zone for the promotion of value-added industries and port services.
The southwestern zone of the complex has been earmarked for special industrial and commercial activities, the ministry said.
Chaudhry said 833 industrial units are currently operational at the port while 40 are under construction. He also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to modernizing port infrastructure and improving road and rail connectivity.
“Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said the Port Qasim Industrial Complex will emerge as a hub for employment generation, investment, and sustainable development,” the statement said.
Pakistan seeks to upgrade streamline port operations and enhance trade relations with regional countries as it seeks to escape a prolonged macroeconomic crisis that has put a strain on its resources and triggered a balance of payments crisis in the country over the past few years.
