Governor for taking collective measures to tackle climate change as it global issue

QUETTA, Jun 15 (APP): Governor Balochistan Jaffar Khan Mandokhel said that collective measures would be taken to tackle climate change which is a global problem, so its solution should also be global because planet Earth is the only common home of all humans in the entire universe.

He said that climate security and policy dialogue is not the responsibility of any single institution, but they require the cooperation of all relevant departments, local authorities, educational institutions, civil society and development partners, it is hoped that today’s dialogue would provide support and guidance to our policy makers.

He expressed these views while addressing the participants of the Climate Security Program in Balochistan organized by UNDP at Serena Hotel, Quetta.

On this occasion, Resident Representative of UNDP Pakistan (Dr. Samuel Risk), Deputy Representative (Ms. Van Nyegum), Honorary Consul General Mir Murad Baloch, Provincial Minister Mir Asim Kurd Gelu, Sardar Abdul Rehman Khatran, Rahila Hameed Khan Durrani, Member Provincial Assembly Kulsoom Niaz Baloch, Provincial Head of HONDP Zulfiqar Durrani, Vice Chancellor of University of Balochistan Dr. Zahoor Ahmed Bazai, Vice Chancellor of BUITEMS University Prof. Dr. Khalid Hafeez, Vice Chancellor of Women’s University Prof. Dr. Rubina Mushtaq, former Senator Roshan Khurshid Nrocha and Advocate Zarghona Barich were present along with many experts and distinguished guests.

Governor Balochistan Jaffar Khan Mandokhel said that Balochistan is the largest province of Pakistan in terms of area, from Gwadar to Zhob, we are on the front line of climate crises, environmental stress is increasing the risks to governance and social stability.

He said that in 2022 alone, forest fires in Zhob division affected nearly 40 percent of the trees, while floods triggered by rains displaced more than 1.3 million people across the province and contributed to pushing more than 9 million people into poverty across the country, more than 7 percent of whom were in Balochistan.

He said that UNDP’s role with communities affected by climate change-related natural disasters is commendable, including through housing reconstruction and rehabilitation assistance, as well as through its support and guidance to climate-vulnerable communities through constructive dialogue with livelihoods and public institutions.

“It is encouraging to see efforts that help citizens raise their concerns through dialogue, mediation and grievance redressal, while helping government institutions respond in ways that build trust, improve coordination and reflect at scale”, he said.

He said that the province of Balochistan has its own unique geography of mountains, deserts, mineral resources and a long coastline, the people here have been living with difficult environmental conditions for generations saying that they understand resilience not as a theory but as a part of daily life. Therefore, Balochistan needs a partnership that is practical and based on our objective conditions.

As the Chancellor of Public Sector Universities, I encourage every Vice Chancellor and my Governor House team to put their work into practice. Balochistan has immense potential, our coastline, rivers, forests, natural resources, young population, public sector universities and above all the resilience of our people are all great strengths, he mentioned.

The Governor said that we understand that environmental pressures are becoming more complex, water scarcity, drought, deforestation, land degradation and coastal erosion are affecting both lives and livelihoods across the province adding that in the coastal belt of Gwadar and Makran, communities are facing challenges related to the blue economy, drinking water, fisheries and changing sea conditions.

“These issues require a practical and scientific approach as they not only affect the environment but also the well-being, dignity and economic future of our people”, he said.

Governor Mandokhel said that the Balochistan government has taken a significant step through the Balochistan Climate Change Policy 2024; the next step is to support its implementation through strong coordination, practical planning and continuous communication with the communities.

Jaffar Khan Mandokhel said that our supporter is the German government, since Germany is a land of great thinkers and philosophers, the people of Germany could better understand universal ideas and also offer practical solutions due to their philosophical heritage.