By Ali Imran
ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam on Friday said that the country’s first ever Asian Leopard reserve was going to announced soon in Margalla Hills National Park.
Addressing the Monsoon plantation under the Clean Green Pakistan organised by Pak Steel here at Pak Farid Park, the SAPM said the protected area has become the permanent new habitat of the wild cats that earlier used to descend to the National Park during winter seasons and would return to higher altitude in summers.
Amin said a proper mechanism would be devised for controlled and safe mobility into the Leopard Reserve through information guides and staff to avoid any human wildlife conflict.
The SAPM planted a pine tree sapling in the Park along with Pak Steel officials to inaugurate the plantation where some 300 saplings were planted during the day-long plantation activity.
He said, “The Pak Farid Park is one of the only public private partnership initiatives being materialised to protect environment. It is being developed on the Capital Development Authority (CDA) land and is well maintained.” Amin noted that it was the only Park that remained opened and available to public for recreation throughout Covid-19 lockdown.
He underscored that private sector was one of the major stakeholders of the government as it has corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds and efficiency to execute projects in time with desired output.
While shedding light on the climate change risks highlighted in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report 2021, he said around 14,000 scientists worked on that report and tolled the bells of increasing of climatic catastrophes incase of unabated mutilation of the green cover all over the world.
“Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Plantation project of the Prime Minister is not only a gift rather the dire need of the country to avert drastic impacts of environmental degradation,” he said. The SAPM also hinted towards organising a stakeholder seminar on latest technology to reduce emissions from the Steel Industry Sector and increase output in eco-friendly manner.
It was reported as one of the major contributors to emissions causing environmental degradation and climate change. “We will organise the seminar at the Ministry of Climate Change and will be looking forward to our steel sector to pioneer that technology in the country,” he added.
Italian Ambassador Andereas Ferraris also congratulated the SAPM for successfully executing the Prime Minister’s tremendous Clean Green Pakistan and Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Plantation project.
