By Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Monday urged the nations to develop a global partnership to deal with the challenge of climate change calling it highly important for particularly an agrarian economy like Pakistan.
He was addressing the participants of a cycle rally arranged by the Foreign Ministry in collaboration with United Nations Development Program and Ministry of Climate Change in connection with World Environment Day. This year, Pakistan would host the World Environment Day to be observed on June 5.
Themed “Pedal for a green Pakistan”, the cycle rally was led by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, also joined by Special Assistant to PM Malik Amin Aslam, State Minister for Climate Change Zartaj Gul, Parliamentary Secretary, UNDP Country Director Knut Ostby and diplomats from different countries and foreign ministry officers. The participants including men, women and youngsters from different walks of life wore themed T Shirts and Caps.
He said besides desiring to maintain peaceful relations with the nations, it also wanted to make a “peace with nature.” He said Pakistan was one of the ten countries most vulnerable to climate change but unfortunately, the people were unaware of the threat unless Prime Minister Imran Khan and his team led from the front to make the people realize the seriousness of the situation.
He said, Pakistan was getting international recognition for its role toward environmental protection. On World Environment Day (June 5), Prime Minister Imran Khan will also announce environment friendly initiatives to cope with the challenge and preserve the natural environment.
The foreign minister recalled that during Prime Minister Imran Khan’s recent visit to Saudi Arabia, both the countries signed an MoU for cooperation on the climate change issue.
Qureshi said the participation of the federal ministers and diplomatic community in the cycle rally was meant to highlight the seriousness of the matter which would go a long way to create awareness among the masses.
