Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Chairing a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change, Senator Sherry Rehman along with the Committee members expressed serious concerns about the Ministry of Climate Change’s planning, priorities and preparedness in addressing Pakistan’s climate and environmental policies.
The meeting was attended by key stakeholders, including Prime Minister’s Coordinator for Climate Change Romina Khurshid Alam, the Secretary of the Ministry of Climate Change, and officials from relevant departments.
Senator Rehman expressed her profound disappointment with the Ministry’s presentation on climate change. “I am appalled at the lack of clarity, coordination, and capacity displayed in the presentation. As the Chair of the Standing Senate Committee, I expected to see a clear strategic plan, priorities, and initiatives to address this pressing issue.”
Marking the urgency and scale of the challenges Pakistan faces, Senator Rehman said that climate change is a national crisis requiring a coordinated, yet technically proficient response. “I am shocked to see an outdated last century presentation with no clear priorities, no flagship initiatives, and no strategic NDC agenda or updates.”
The Senator also voiced grave concerns over the Ministry’s lack of ownership of key initiatives and policies, with a status quo approach that had little hope of impacting policy outcomes or meeting national commitments. She called for a redesign of priorities as well as the development of a tailored climate finance strategy by the Ministry to meet the country’s specific needs and sensibilities. “What is also worrying is the profound level of disconnect within the ministry with its own institutional mandate. It is the ministry’s job to forge strategic partnerships and communication with other ministries, but the institutions within the Ministry of Climate Change are not even coordinating among themselves. The Committee was appalled at the egregious lack of coordination amongst the Ministry’s own departments,” Senator Rehman pointed out.
Senator Rehman stressed the need for a comprehensive communication strategy to raise public awareness about climate change. She also critiqued the Ministry for its lack of awareness about plastic regulation and its failure to track Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
“It is astonishing that the Ministry is unaware of the plastics regulation while it was on the agenda, and there is no tracking of our NDCs,” she asserted.
Furthermore, she drilled down the significant oversight of omitting any mention of energy transition, a key aspect of climate strategy, in the presentation. “Energy transition is a crucial part of our climate action plan, and its absence in the presentation is deeply concerning,” she added.
On the occasion, PM’s aide, Romina Khurshid Alam informed the Committee that the Ministry officials were working on making national priorities during the Climate Change Authority formulation and would deliver a comprehensive briefing in this regard to the forum in the next meeting. She added that the Prime Minister had notified two task force committees on heatwaves and floods that were closely working with NDMA and public communication campaigns were underway amid strict monitoring and compliance with the provinces.
To a query on IWMB chairperson’s removal, Romina Khurshid Alam informed the forum that the Chairperson was not removed from her position but rather her tenure reached culmination after four years. She added that as per the official procedure a technical chariperson would be appointed.
Additionally, the Senate Committee deliberated on the fire incident in the H-9 Sunday Bazaar. Chief Commissioner, Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) and Chairman, CDA informed that the fire erupted due to an explosion of solar panel batteries, affecting around 625 stalls. He informed that the district administration was working out specific SOPs to ensure complete wrapup at the culmination of weekly bazaar’s activities to ensure safety of public lives and proprty. Moreover, fullscale beefup of Rescue 1122 services was also underway to ensure efficient and fully equipped emergency services in the federal capital, he added.
Senator Sherry Rehman maintained that such bazaars are not safe due to a lack of safety protocols and recommended that they be revamped according to practices followed worldwide.
In her closing remarks, Senator Rehman urged the Ministry to enhance its institutional capacity, engage experts, and develop a clear plan with defined priorities, adaptation, mitigation, and initiatives. She also requested a detailed report on international engagements, including participation in COP conferences, and called for improved quality and transparency in future presentations.
The meeting was attended by Senator Dr. Zarqa Suharwardhy Taimur, Senator Bushra Anjum Butt,Senator Naseema Ehsan,Senator Manzoor Ahmad, PM Coordinator on Climate Change Romina Khurshid Alam,Secretary for Ministry of Climate Change and Climate Environmental Coordination Eazaz A. Dar, Chairman CDA Muhammad Ali Randhawa, DG EPA Farzana Altaf Shah and other senior officials of relevant departments were also in attendance.
