By Anzal Amin
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed authorities concerned to begin early preparations to prevent any loss of life or property during next year’s monsoon season and ordered immediate implementation of the short-term plan presented by the Ministry of Climate Change.
The prime minister, chairing a meeting to review measures to prevent monsoon-related damages, approved the ministry’s short-term plan on the subject and stressed its urgent execution.
He asked the Ministry of Climate Change, Ministry of Planning, and National Disaster Management Authority to work in close coordination with provincial governments for integrated planning on climate change.
He also called for preparations to convene a meeting of the National Water Council to carry out national-level planning on water management.
Prime Minister Shehbaz said that, as a developing country, a substantial portion of its GDP was repeatedly diverted to counter the adverse effects of climate change — resources that could otherwise be utilised for development projects.
He said that unfortunately, Pakistan continued to bear severe consequences of climate change despite contributing almost negligibly to global carbon emissions.
The meeting was briefed on international forecasts and indicators regarding next year’s monsoon. The Ministry of Climate Change also briefed on short, medium, and long-term plans to prevent the monsoon-related losses.
The meeting was attended by federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Ahad Khan Cheema, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Dr. Musadik Malik, Attaullah Tarar, and relevant senior officials.
