PM attends photo exhibition on `Floods in Pakistan – A Climate Change’
NEW YORK, Sept 22 (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Thursday participated in a photo exhibition titled “Floods in Pakistan – A Climate Change” held here at the lobby of United Nations Secretariat.
The exhibition was organized by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of Pakistan, on the occasion of 77th session of the UN General Assembly, a press release issued by the PM Media Wing said.
Pakistan beat England by 10 wickets in 2nd T20I
KARACHI, Sep 22 (APP): Pakistan on Thursday thrashed England in the 2nd T20I by 10 wickets at the National Stadium here.
The visiting team won the toss and elected to bat first. England made 199 runs at the loss of five wickets in 20 overs.
The host team chased the target and made 203 runs in 19.3 overs and won the match by 10 wickets.
Big emitters must move to create formal mechanism to finance losses: Sherry
ISLAMABAD, Sep 22 (APP): Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman on Thursday said the big emitters must move to create a formal mechanism to finance losses at the next conference of parties (COP) as the developing countries would continue to experience loss and damage.
Speaking at the 2nd Climate and Development Ministerial Meeting in New York, the minister said, “Pakistan is on the frontlines of a climate precipice that is not waiting for anyone. Our vulnerability to climate change is extremely high, despite having less than 1% share in the global GHG emissions.”
She said expectations also include the burden of emissions to be shared equitably, not equally, let alone disproportionately, which is the case right now. What is needed given today’s pace of change is a tripling of the climate financing targets of $100bn, and not double-counting these as overseas development assistance, but actualized, transparent, agile resource transfers, said a statement received here.
Talking about the flood disaster, Sherry Rehman warned that the flood crisis will last for months and already water-borne diseases are causing havoc in the country. With more than 1500 dead and 12,860 injured, health camps only in the flood-hit areas in Sindh received 78,000 patients in the last 24-hours with some places still inundated in several feet of floodwater.
She said the monster flooding did not happen by chance as the attribution studies and scientific modeling show that the world, especially the Global South, will see another year of weather disasters that destroy homes, ruin crops and threaten lives. Decisions that impact real lives and people left behind have to be accelerated beyond discussion.
Focusing on Pakistan’s future climate actions, the minister said Pakistan stands by its pledges for reducing emissions and seek the support for making a transition to renewable energy but none of that will matter if the big emitters don’t stop.
Developing countries will continue to pay the social and economic costs even if the most vulnerable 1% low emitters like Pakistan, go green. High fossil fuel emissions are causing the planet to burn up, she added.
Sherry Rehman said today, countries nearer the equator unjustly face the brunt of climate disruption. We have not caused the big shifts in warming, but we continue to pay in humanitarian disasters like glacial melting, floods, droughts and heat waves crossing 53 C.
She said, “We see plans for financing adaptation at the UNGA but countries like mine, now, want to see tangible pipelines for resources for humanitarian crises induced by climate change. COP27 must capitalize the adaptation fund and also introduce agility and speed in countries that need to build resilience. Simplified, long-term climate financing instruments are needed to plug severe capacity deficits in the developing countries right now as the protracted periods of pipelining funds lose potency when resilience needs change faster than the speed of resource dispersion.”
PM meets UN Secretary General, emphasizes Pakistan’s extreme vulnerability to climate change
NEW YORK, Sep 23 (APP):Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif met with the United Nations Secretary-General (UNSG) António Guterres here on Thursday and emphasized Pakistan’s extreme vulnerability to climatic changes despite its minimal contribution to global carbon emissions.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
The Prime Minister appreciated the Secretary-General’s timely visit, affirming strong solidarity with Pakistan in the wake of the climate-induced catastrophic floods. He expressed gratitude for the Secretary-General’s strong push to mobilize international support and assistance for the affected people and also emphasize the need for concrete international action to mitigate the impacts of climate change on developing countries.
The Prime Minister lauded the Secretary General’s leading role in calling for urgent climate action.
The Secretary-General committed to do everything possible to mobilize support for Pakistan. He said that Pakistan deserved the full and massive support from the international community.
The Prime Minister added that as the current Chair of the Group of 77 and China, Pakistan would work towards a common position on ways to secure accelerated implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and environmental agreements and commitments.
He expressed gratitude for the support extended by the Secretary-General and the Deputy Secretary-General in this area.
In the regional context, the Prime Minister highlighted the dire human rights situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and expressed the hope that the Secretary-General will use his good offices to facilitate a just and peaceful solution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant Security Council resolutions.
The Prime Minster reaffirmed the importance attached by Pakistan to a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Afghanistan and stressed the need for the international community to work together to promote shared objectives.
EU President assures PM of aid for flood victims
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Thursday here held a meeting with President of European Union Ursula von der Leyen and discussed matters of mutual interest.
According to the Media Wing of the Prime Minister Office, the meeting took place on the sidelines of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
In a tweet the EU President said, “I conveyed to Prime Minister of Pakistan @CMShehbaz my personal condolences for the victims of the terrible floods. The @EU_Commission is with you. We will come forward with new humanitarian aid in the coming weeks, to support the people of Pakistan.”
MoS Hina for a comprehensive strategy to address global challenges of Covid, climate
NEW YORK, Sept 22 (APP): Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ms. Hina Rabbani Khar Thursday participated in the Ministerial meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), hosted by the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, the current Chairman of NAM.
The meeting, held on the sidelines of the 77th Session of the UN General Assembly, focused on the theme “Role of the Non-Aligned Movement in Post-pandemic Global Recovery; the Way Forward”.
While highlighting the continued worsening of the global economic situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic and mounting threat of climate catastrophe, the Minister of State underscored that a comprehensive and cooperative strategy is needed to address the global challenges, especially of Covid, development and climate.
To recover from the COVID-19 crisis and to “build forward better”, she highlighted, inter alia, the need for equal and early vaccine distribution, mobilization of financing to enable economic recovery in developing countries and reaffirmation of commitment to cooperative multilateralism.
The Minister of State also highlighted the massive impact of recent catastrophic floods in Pakistan. She noted that one-third of the country was inundated, around 33 million people affected across the country and over 1400 lives lost.
Reiterating deep concern at the continued denial of the inalienable right to self-determination to the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) as well as Palestine, guaranteed to them under several UN Security Council resolutions, the Minister of State called upon the international community and NAM to work for a just, peaceful and expeditious settlement of these conflicts in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council and the wishes of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Palestine.
The meeting adopted a Political Declaration which, inter alia, expressed solidarity with the Government and people of Pakistan in addressing massive scale of destruction caused by unprecedented floods and supported Pakistan’s efforts for relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction.
No peace between Pakistan, India without resolution of Kashmir issue: Bilawal
NEW YORK, Sep 22 (APP): Minister for Foreign Affairs Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Thursday said Pakistan desired peace with India but it was evident that unless the Kashmir dispute was resolved, there would be no durable peace between the two countries.
He was delivering an opening statement as chair of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers at the OIC Annual Coordination Meeting here.
The minister said, “We are prepared to resume a sincere dialogue with India for a peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
However, the onus is on India to create a conducive environment for such a dialogue. It must rescind its unilateral and illegal measures instituted since August 5, 2019 and halt its human rights violations in IIOJK.”
Bilawal said, “Kashmir is our common cause. Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan are bound irrevocably by geography, faith, history and culture. Kashmir is Pakistan and Pakistan is Kashmir.”
“Jammu and Kashmir was forcibly occupied by India. The Security Council decided that the people of Jammu and Kashmir must be enabled to exercise their recognized right to self-determination through the UN-supervised plebiscite. India has resiled from its commitment to implement the resolutions of the Security Council and respect the wishes of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.”
“Since 5 August 2019, India has taken unilateral and illegal measures to undermine the internally recognized ‘disputed’ status of Jammu and Kashmir. It has increased its military deployments there to 900,000 troops and resorted to a brutal campaign of repression, including extra-judicial and custodial killing of Kashmiris; abduction of 15,000 young Kashmiri boys, many of whom were tortured; incarceration of the entire Kashmiri leadership, and the burning of villages and neighborhoods as collective punishment. This campaign of oppression is turbo-charged by the ideology of Hindutva and hatred of Muslims. The organization, Genocide Watch, has warned of the possibility of genocide in occupied Kashmir.”
“After three years, India’s campaign of colonial annexation has not succeeded. It will never succeed. With the will of Almighty Allah, the people of Jammu and Kashmir will win their heroic struggle for freedom and self-determination.”
The minister vowed that Pakistan will continue to extend its full political, diplomatic and moral support to their freedom struggle.
He said the Islamic world must evolve collective and concerted responses to the political, economic, climate and other challenges facing the world today.
In 1945, the Islamic countries were unable to express, advocate or defend the vital interests of their peoples in the creation of the post-war world order, he reminded.
Bilawal said, “Most of us did not participate in the formulation of the UN Charter. As a result, no Islamic nation is a permanent member of the Security Council with veto rights.”
“As the second largest international organization, our collective effort should seek to preserve the national security, sovereignty and territorial integrity of each of our member states. To this end, we must ensure universal and consistent adherence to the principles of peace and justice reflected in the UN and OIC Charters. We must promote peace with justice in all disputes and conflicts, within and/or outside the Islamic world.”
He said, “Palestine is our common cause and we must not forget that the raison d’étre of the OIC was to promote peace and justice for the people of Occupied Palestine and to free Al Quds al Sharif. We must secure self-determination for our brothers and sisters in Palestine. They must have their own State, with pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds-al-Sharif as the capital of a free Palestinian State.”
“After forty years, there is a real opportunity to restore durable peace and security in Afghanistan and the region. Today, there is no civil war. One government controls the entire country,” he noted.
Bilawal said, “We must build on this progress and prevent those forces who wish to revive conflict, create more refugees and intensify the threat of terrorism.”
He recalled that Pakistan, together with Saudi Arabia, convened the 17th Extraordinary Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in Islamabad on 19 December 2021. “Together we agreed that the OIC can and must play a leading role in supporting the people of Afghanistan. We agreed to establish an OIC Humanitarian Trust Fund; appoint a Special Envoy of the OIC Secretary General; launch an Afghanistan Food Security Programme; and reinforce the OIC’s Mission in Kabul.”
“We must build on these concrete steps to restore peace and revive economic and social development in Afghanistan. Engagement with Kabul authorities is the only way to address Afghanistan’s humanitarian situation. Afghan authorities have more trust in OIC than any other international organization.”
He informed that an Ulema delegation of OIC visited Kabul and exchanged views with authorities there.
“With our concurrence and Saudi Arabia’s support, we have managed to operationalize the Office of the Special Envoy. He has undertaken consultations with all relevant stakeholders and visited regional and other countries. I look forward to receiving his reports. “
He underlined the need to address the several unresolved and festering conflicts within the Islamic world.
“From Yemen to Syria to the Sahel, the Muslim world has been beset by conflict and violence, often as a consequence of foreign intervention. More than 70% of today’s global conflicts, disputes and security challenges are within the OIC countries.”
Bilawal urged OIC to evolve its institutional framework and tools to address the challenges of peace and security within the Islamic world.
“It is important that we identify how the OIC can equip itself with the tools required to promote conflict prevention, mediation, reconciliation and peace building within and outside the Muslim world.”
He expressed pleasure on discussions on fully activating the OIC’s peace and security architecture, as called for in the Islamabad Declaration, had commenced.
He emphasized that during the current UN General Assembly session, the OIC countries must work with other developing countries to address the triple challenge of recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic; achievement of the SDGs and the existential threat of climate change.
“As the recent catastrophic floods in Pakistan have so tragically illustrated, Climate change poses an existential threat to humanity. We are most grateful to all our brothers and sisters in the Islamic world who have responded with generous assistance to help us recover from the unprecedented floods. Pakistan will bounce back and bounce back stronger and better due to the resilience of our people.”
“It is heartening that one of our OIC members – Egypt is host to the annual climate talks and would lead the efforts for the next year. Pakistan supports their efforts. I am confident that the COP27 would renew political will and deploy tools to finally mobilize the much awaited $100 billion plus promised in climate finance; allocate half for adaptation; establish a financing facility to compensate developing countries for “loss and damage”; urge the industrial countries to achieve net minus carbon emissions by 2050 and to fund the extra costs of climate mitigation for developing countries,” the minister concluded.
Govt to provide subsidy on seeds, fertilizers for farmers of flood hit areas
ISLAMABAD, Sep 22 (APP): Minister for National Food Security and Research Tariq Bashir Cheema Thursday said that government would provide subsidize seeds and fertilizers to support the flood affected farmers of the country during upcoming Rabi season.
While talking to a delegation led by Regional Director for Sustainable Development South Asia of World Bank John A Roome, the minister said that government will provide subsidized inputs to flood affected farmers for the upcoming Rabi season on a cost-sharing basis with the provinces, adding that the proposed scheme of subsidy would be presented in the meeting of Federal Cabinet for approval.
During the meeting both sides discussed the rehabilitation and relief efforts in the floods and rains affected areas with special emphasis to farmer community and food security.
He further informed that government was planning to provide subsidized wheat and edible oil seeds, and one fertilizer bag per acre to farmers in the calamity hit areas.
The disbursement will be made through provincial governments and NDMA, which would help to rehabilitate and revive local agriculture sector.
Tariq Bashir said that flood and rains have played havoc on the agriculture sector and have devastated the agriculture land, adding that at this critical time, we are focusing on rehabilitation activities in the flood affected areas to bring the life back on its normal position.
During this national emergency, federal government was supporting agriculture departments of the provinces in every possible means, he added.
Speaking on the occasion John A Roome said that the World Bank will help Pakistan, in this time of need, through projects targeted to rehabilitate the affected community.
He agreed to support rehabilitation of the farming community in flood hit districts and locust effected areas through the Locust Emergency and Food Security (LEAFS) project of the World Bank. He said that the World Bank was working with provincial agriculture departments to support the farming community.
John A Roome said that he will also request the Bank’s Board to increase support for Pakistan to recover from the devastation caused by unprecedented floods.
In another meeting, Federal Minister Tariq Bashir Cheema directed Department of Plant Protection (DPP) to prepare a comprehensive plan to deliver the seeds and fertilizer to the flood affected regions by the end of this month.
He also approved the request of the department to recruit technical staff for surveillance of locust outbreak and diseases.
Tariq Bashir Cheema feared that the recent flood and rains have increased the chances of a locust attack. He directed to rigorously inspect breeding and swarming areas to take remedial action.
“The recruitment of surveillance staff and procurement of vehicles will enhance the capacity of the department to immediately respond to any unwarranted situation,” said Director General Department of Plant Protection Allah Ditta Abid.
Ashrafi terms Saudi Arabia ‘all-weather friend’ of Pakistan
ISLAMABAD, Sep 22 (APP): Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Interfaith Harmony and Middle East Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Asharfi, felicitating the Saudi government and people on the 92nd National Day, termed Saudi Arabia an all-weather friend of Pakistan.
In an exclusive talk with APP on Thursday, Ashrafi who is also the chairman of Pakistan Ulema Council said Saudi Arabia had extended all-out support to Pakistan in the trying times.
He said the Saudi government left no stone unturned to up-lift the economic condition of Pakistan by providing bail-out packages in the financial crisis time and again.
He said the Saudi government through its aid agency, King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) had distributed approximately 2,000-ton emergency relief goods among the flood affected people in Pakistan.
He said KSrelief, as per directives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister Muhammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud had launched a countrywide drive in Saudi Arabia to help the flood affected people in Pakistan.
Asharfi said KSrelief had been sending airlifts carrying tents, food packages, blankets, dates, medicine, medical supplies and non-food items kits to Pakistan for the people facing critical situation due to monsoon rains and flash floods.
Besides extending best wishes to the Saudi government and people at this hour of joy and jubilation, he said the Pakistani nation was praying for peace, prosperity, security and sovereignty of Saudi Arabia.