Climate change: Collective efforts needed to tackle challenge: governor

LAHORE: Punjab Governor Baligh-ur-Rehman has underlined the need of collective efforts to tackle the challenge of climate change.

He said this while talking to the participants of Foreign Diplomatic Course from ASEAN member States, led by Director General of Foreign Service Academy, Muhammad Mazhar Javed who called on him here at Governor House Lahore. The delegation comprised 22 diplomats from eight ASEAN member countries including Indonesia, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Philippines.

The Governor maintained that there are vast opportunities to promote trade relations with ASEAN countries. “Pakistan exports high-quality textile products to international markets,” he said, adding: “The ASEAN member countries can explore trade opportunities in textile sector in Pakistan. Similarly, ASEAN countries can find opportunities to import their products in Pakistan.” He said that businessmen from

ASEAN countries can benefit from export processing zones set up under

CPEC in Pakistan. He said that Pakistan has vast investment potential in

corporate farming in agriculture sector.

Terming climate change as a global issue, he said there is a need to make collaborated efforts to tackle the challenge of climate change. He further said that there are beautiful tourist spots in the north of Pakistan. The tourists who visit Pakistan for the purpose of tourism can also find business opportunities here. He said that augmenting ties with ASEAN countries in the field of tourism, trade, and education will further boost bilateral cooperation. He said that Pakistan offers seats in the fields of BDS/MBBS and Engineering to ASEAN countries under Pakistan Technical Assistance Programme.

He said that Pakistan attaches great importance to its relations with ASEAN member states. He said that Pakistan has pleasant and friendly relations with ASEAN countries and is committed to further strengthening and deepening its ties with ASEAN countries. He said that the Foreign Service Academy is a premier

institution with global reach. It has trained over three thousand diplomats, half of which are foreign diplomats.

The Governor expressed the hope that this course at Foreign Service Academy would immensely help them to hone their diplomatic skills. He said that people to people connections play an important role in improving relations between countries.

On this occasion, Director General Foreign Service Academy, Muhammad Mazhar Javed, shed light on the aims and objectives of the institution. The Director Administration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr Maryam Saeed was also present on this occasion.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023