ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar will plead Pakistan’s case as one of the worst affected countries by the impact of climate change at a key session of the upcoming 28th Conference of Parties (COP-28) scheduled to be held in the United Arab Emirates on Dec 1-2.
“Despite its less than one per cent imprints on the global climate change factors, Pakistan is amongst the countries hugely affected by these changes,” the prime minister said while presiding over an inter-provincial review meeting on Wednesday.
PM Kakar said climate change was an issue of national endurance for countries like Pakistan and observed that Islamabad was playing a positive role in the global climate debate through climate diplomacy.
“One-third of the country’s population is badly affected by the climate induced floods,” he added.
According to the Prime Minister Office, the meeting was attended by caretaker federal ministers for finance, foreign affairs, climate change and planning, and relevant officials.
The prime minister lauded the relevant institutions and organisations of the country for their role in the reconstruction efforts during the post-flood period.
He directed the authorities concerned to make full preparations for presenting Pakistan’s stance during the COP-28 on climate finance and other issues effectively.
Power sector
Presiding over a meeting on power sector reforms in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the caretaker PM said it was the responsibility of the federation to ensure an equitable distribution of resources among all provinces.
He said the federal government will ensure the protection of the rights of people of all provinces, including KP.
The caretaker PM directed the Wapda officials to remove obstacles in the way of the payment of net hydel profit to KP on a priority basis.
He said that construction of water reservoirs and hydropower projects in the country should be completed on priority.
“There should not be any interruption in the ongoing projects for better irrigation and low-cost environment-friendly electricity generation,” he added.
The prime minister was briefed about the ongoing hydropower projects and the construction of water reservoirs across the country, especially KP.
PM Kakar was also briefed on the law and order situation in KP and he directed the authorities concerned to release funds allocated for the province for counter-terrorism plans.
Zamindar Action Committee
The caretaker PM also chaired a meeting on the solarisation of tube wells in Balochistan.
During the meeting with a 15-member delegation of Zamindar Action Committee headed by Kazim Achakzai, Mr Kakar directed the authorities concerned to accelerate the process of solarisation of tube wells in the province.
Published in Dawn, November 23rd, 2023
Source: dawn.com