ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has emphasised the need of practical implementation of the loss and damages agreement reached at COP27 Conference and manifestation of the commitment.
Addressing as chief guest at COP27 reception, titled “COP27 and Beyond: Pakistan’s Resilience Challenge”, the prime minister said that it started back in June 2022 when Pakistan faced most devastating floods. As a result, he said that 33 million people were directly affected, 1,800 people died including children and loss of agriculture industry and infrastructure, livestock and the estimate is about $30 billion dollars.
The prime minister expressed his deep gratitude to all those countries who came to help Pakistan in cash and kind and this contribution on their part was most valuable in this hour of need.
He said that of course, within Pakistan philanthropists came forward and contributed immensely to support their brothers and sisters in Balochistan, Sindh, and other parts of the country besides, provincial governments along with National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and provincial disaster management authorities (PDMAs).
He said the foreign minister was able to reflect on international forum what the provincial governments and these institutions have done back at home during those trying months – months of June, July, August, and September. He said that houses and villages were completely inundated and submerged and at that time federal, provincial governments and these institutions have done a remarkable job.
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The prime minister said Pakistan’s voice was heard at international forum loud and clear as it was articulated by the government team led by the foreign minister and Sherry Rehman, Minister for Climate Change, and others.
He further stated that the foreign minister interacted with his counterparts that Pakistan is seeking justice and not charity. He said that Pakistan’s friends have realised the importance of the challenge ahead and therefore, remarkable agreement loss and damage is reality.
He said it is not about these agreements and understanding, but about practical implementation and manifestation of this commitment. What is happened in the past is a past and $100 million have been committed but to what level these have been contributed is a big question mark.
The prime minister said that Pakistan has become a victim of something it has nothing to do with as its contribution to greenhouse gases is less than one per cent, whereas, there is a list of countries where emissions are much higher.
He said he wish that this should not happen to other countries but that is a wishful thinking unless comity of nation stands up and accept the challenge and make practical demonstration of the commitment globally. The prime minister also lauded the role of various ministries and institutions for the work done by them during the floods.
Earlier, Minister for Climate Change and State Minister for Foreign Affairs also spoke.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022