ISLAMABAD, May 17 (APP):Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday directed the federal and provincial departments to ensure liaison for taking effective steps with regard to impending floods in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
He called for vigilant coordination among the authorities to take necessary steps for tackling any situation due to possible floods.
The Prime Minister was given a briefing on climate change in Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Kashmir during a high level meeting of Climate Change Committee, a PM Media Office press release said.
Malik Amin Aslam, PM’s adviser on Climate Change briefed the prime minister about electric vehicle policy.
He pointed out that smoke emitting vehicles were the major cause of environmental pollution in Punjab province.
It was also informed that besides reduction in environmental pollution, the electric vehicles would also lessen oil imports and increase business opportunities in the country.
The prime minister directed the Adviser to present the final draft policy on electric policy in the federal cabinet for its approval within two weeks.
The prime minister was briefed on strategy to control smog in the province and was informed that Punjab Green Development Programme had started its working. Ten smog monitoring centers have also been established.
It was informed smog working groups had been established to create awareness among people regarding preemptive measure.
The meeting was informed that brick kiln owners were being guided to adopt modern methods.
The prime minister was informed that work on an MoU with a bio-energy company was under process regarding destruction of crops’ residues.
The prime minister was also briefed on ‘ten billion trees’ – government’s most important project towards environmental betterment.
He was informed that various proposals were under consideration to gather financial resources of the project which included Green Sukuk, Forest Bonds and the establishment of Green Fund, a Chinese cooperation project.
The prime minister was also informed that all legalities have been completed to check plastic bags use in the federal capital.
In this regard, he was informed that complete ban on use of plastic bags would be imposed on 14th August this year.
The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for National Food Security Sahabzada Mehboob Sultan, Federal Minister for Planning and Development Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, Federal Minister for Energy Omar Ayub Khan, Prime Minister’s Adviser for Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, Adviser on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam, Special Assistant to the PM on Information Firdous Ashiq Awan, Spokesman Nadim Afzal Chan, Special Assistant Yousaf Baig Mirza, Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan, Chief Minister Balochistan Jam Kamal Khan, PM AJ&K Raja Muhammad Farooq Haider, Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan Hafiz Hafeez ur Rahman and senior officials from relevant departments.
