Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan’s Nobel Peace laureate Malala Yousafzai called on the world to ease debt pressure and provide immediate humanitarian support to the flood-hit country.
The PM met Malala on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Following their meeting, Malala took to Twitter and wrote that they both discussed the urgent needs of people affected by floods in Pakistan.
She noted that the floods have destroyed tens of thousands of schools, leaving hundreds of thousands of children without education, urging that the funding should include emergency schooling, especially for girls.
In a tweet, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the PM expressed his admiration for how Malala has inspired and become a symbol of hope for millions of people around the world.
"Both discussed challenges posed by climate catastrophe to education of millions in Pakistan," she added.
Pakistan’s dire floods signal global climate crisis, PM tells UN
Addressing the UNGA session on Friday, the PM warned that his country’s worst-ever floods were a sign of climate catastrophes to come around the world, as he urged justice for developing nations that bear little responsibility for warming.
PM Shehbaz said injustice was inherent in the crisis, with his country of 220 million people at “ground zero” of climate change but responsible for less than one percent of carbon emissions.
Pakistan’s dire floods signal global climate crisis, PM tells UN
“Why are my people paying the price of such high global warming through no fault of their own? Nature has unleashed her fury on Pakistan without looking at our carbon footprint, which is next to nothing,” he said.
“It is therefore entirely reasonable to expect some approximation of justice for this loss and damage,” he continued, adding his voice to growing calls among developing countries for financial compensation from rich polluters.
Pakistan must stand for women’s rights: Malala
Meanwhile, Malala also shared her concern about the reappearance of Pakistani Taliban in Swat Valley and other parts of KPK province.
"Our people cannot face more terrorism and displacement — they need protection."
Malala further tweeted that she also asked PM Shehbaz to put more pressure on the Taliban to allow Afghan girls to go to school and women to go to work.
"Today Afghanistan is the only country where girls are banned from secondary school. Pakistan must stand for women’s rights and girls’ education," she added.