‘Balochistan to tackle climate change with UN help’

Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo has said that the provincial government is fully prepared to tackle the challenges of climate change and steps will be taken in this regard with the help of United Nations (UN) and other international organizations.

He expressed these views while talking to a delegation led by the UN Resident Coordinator for Pakistan, Julien Harneis.

Parliamentary Secretary for Information Bushra Rind and Provincial Secretary for Environment Abdul Saboor Kakar were also present on the occasion.

The meeting also discussed issues related to minimizing the damage to the environment and ecosystem due to poor drainage system in Jafferabad, Naseerabad, Sohbatpur and Jhal Magsi districts on the Indus Basin of Balochistan.

The UN envoy said that his organization is conducting master planning for mitigation of climate change and ecosystem rehabilitation projects across the country including four districts of Balochistan. Master planning will be completed in four months.

“It will also include a mechanism to improve the canal system. Due to environmental hazards in these districts, agricultural production is also being affected while human health and survival are also at risk,” he said.

The meeting agreed that global warming is causing glaciers to melt due to rising temperatures, which will lead to severe water shortages around the world in the near future.

The chief minister said that work was being done in various fields in Balochistan with the help of UN agencies and the Indus Basin Project along with Sindh was also important.

He said that all the elected public representatives of the districts concerned belong to Balochistan Awami Party which is already aware of the environmental hazards affecting their districts.

He said that many projects were already under consideration for tackling the environmental challenges but they could not be implemented properly.

On this occasion, it was also decided to nominate focal persons for master planning from civil society, provincial assembly and bureaucracy.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 12^th, 2022.