-Says melting Himalayan glaciers are leading to a water crisis
By Hina Kiyani
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan owes its rising mercury to the harmful gas emissions by other countries, PM’s aide on climate change Malik Amin Aslam said Friday.
In his address at a seminar, Aslam revealed that the recurring heatwaves in the country have made Pakistan one of the hottest regions in the world. “Climate change is rerouting winds and affecting the temperatures,†he said.
The minister pointed out that harmful emissions and global warming are warming up the northern areas. Due to this, glaciers on the Himalayas are melting at a very fast pace.
Mountains are very important for Pakistan because they are our sole water source,’ Aslam said. “If we don’t take action now it can lead the country towards an impending water crisis.
To prevent this, people need to plant as many trees as possible, he stressed. When the PTI government came into power, the budget for the climate change ministry was Rs400 million, according to the minister. This year, the amount has been increased to Rs14 billion.
However, the government can’t achieve the desired results on its own, the minister said, encouraging people to play their part by participating in the 10 Billion Trees Tsunami Programme.
“We can control the rising mercury if we are successful in planting these trees,†he said. The government wants hotels in Gilgit-Baltistan to be environment-friendly and regulated.
