Lights out: Pakistan observes Earth Hour

Pakistan joined the international community in observing Earth Hour by switching off lights and appliances for an hour from 8:30pm to 9:30pm today (Saturday).

The Ministry of Environment held a ceremony in Islamabad, where the lights of Parliament House were also shut down for the hour.

Express 24/7 correspondent Syed Ali reports that the government had picked model Vaneeza Ahmed as its ambassador at the Earth Hour ceremony.

In Lahore, lights at the WAPDA House and Punjab Assembly were switched off.

Celebrities and notable people from all walks of life gathered in various cities to educate people about the importance of Earth Hour.

A record 134 countries and territories are on board for Earth Hour 2011, a campaign which started four years ago in Sydney. The initiative aims at making joint efforts to tackle climate change and create awareness about the impact of excessive energy consumption on the environment.

Earlier, Prime Minister Syed Yusaf Raza Gilani had said that the Government of Pakistan officially endorsed Earth Hour and believed that it provides an opportunity for collective symbolic action across the country.

Gillani invited countrymen to observe Earth Hour by switching off all unnecessary lights and appliances from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm today and show their commitment to make the planet a better place to live in.

Australia's Opera House was the first of many global landmarks to go dark on Saturday as "Earth Hour" got underway with hundreds of millions of people around the world set to switch off their lights.

The Eiffel Tower in Paris and the world's tallest building in Dubai will also have their lights turned off for 60 minutes as part of the remarkable event.