Pakistan seeks climate justice, not charity: PM

ISLAMABAD      –          Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Thursday urged the world community to stand up and take practical measures to deal with the issue of climate change. He was addressing a ceremony organized in Islamabad on Thursday to pay tributes to all the stakeholders including international partners for successful climate diplomacy at Sharmal-Sheikh climate summit. The prime minister appreciated the role of Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and other government departments that worked continuously for making the world believe that we are seeking climate justice, not charity. He said they also made the world realise that what has happened to Pakistan can happen with any other nation. The prime minister expressed deep gratitude to all those countries that came to help Pakistan with cash and kind during recent devastating floods. The premier said the contribution of all the friendly countries was most valuable in this hour of need. He further said world must realise that Pakistan became the victim of something which has nothing to do with us as our share in Carbon emission is less than one percent. In her address, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar said Securing agreement on the establishment of loss and damage fund was our core objective at the COP-27. She said we felt this emergency after the floods hit us in this summer. As chair of G77 and China, the Foreign Minister chaired the meeting in New York where we were agreed to pursue this matter on priority. On arrival at COP-27, Pakistan steered the group in securing inclusion of the item of financing loss and damage in COP’s agenda. After two weeks of intense negotiations, consensus was finally reached on the establishment of Fund for addressing the loss and damage. The creation of this Fund is widely recognized as the major outcome of COP- 27. Sherry Rehman said climate stress is resetting our entire national agendas and capacity to face the 21st century. She said things are not going to remain stable in many parts of the world if current level of climate stress is not addressed in resilience rebuilding. She said climate vulnerability may be the new normal but we do not expect climate vulnerability to become a new death sentence. She also thanked all the people who played their role for effective and efficient diplomacy at COP-27. Khar updates PM on recent Afghanistan visit Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif here on Thursday and apprised him about her recent visit to Afghanistan. Khar, who paid a day-long official visit to Kabul on Tuesday, informed the prime minister about the outcome of her meetings with the interim Afghan leadership. Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan desired a peaceful Afghanistan and vowed to extend every possible support to the Afghan brethren. He called upon the international community to play its role in improving the situation in Afghanistan as the warn-torn country faced the challenges of economy and security. JCSC Chairman Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza calls on PM Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif here on Thursday. The prime minister congratulated General Sahir Shamshad Mirza on assuming the responsibilities of the Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. During the meeting, they discussed the professional matters pertaining to Pakistan’s armed forces. PM, Air Chief discuss PAF’s professional matters Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif here on Thursday. The professional matters, pertaining to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), came under discussion, the PM Office said. ‘PM visits China embassy to offer condolences on death of Jiang Zemin’ Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday visited the Embassy of China here in Islamabad to offer his condolences over the death of former Chinese President Jiang Zemin. In a meeting with Chinese Ambassador Nong Rong, the prime minister expressed deep sorrow on the death of former president Jiang Zemin. He said Jiang Zemin would always be remembered as a great leader, who played a key role in strengthening the relations between Pakistan and China. He lauded the contribution of late Jiang Zemin’s role in China’s development. The prime minister also penned his comments in the condolence book placed at the embassy. ‘AwAreness About AIDs preventIon’ Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday urged the Ministry of Health to focus on raising awareness about AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) through testing, prevention, and treatment to effectively fight the scourge. The prime minister, in a tweet, expressed concern over the increasing incidence of HIV and AIDS among children and adolescents, terming it as “deeply worrying”. Shehbaz Sharif also emphasized removing the taboos attached to AIDS to ensure its end. “On World Aids Day today, let us all vow to end the stigma attached to HIV,” he said. ‘Govt’s commItment to erADIcAte polIo’ Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says government of Pakistan is firmly committed for polio eradication from the country. Talking to a delegation of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in Islamabad on Thursday, he reassured unwavering support and commitment to eradicate polio from Pakistan. He said Polio has been eradicated from most parts of the country except certain pockets, which are being targeted through period vaccination campaigns. He said keeping the political differences aside, the whole country stands united to make Pakistan polio free. The Prime Minister said Pakistan will continue its efforts until the last child is vaccinated and Pakistan is polio free. He said whole Pakistani nation is thankful to our partners and donors, including Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Rotary International, UNICEF and WHO for helping in polio eradication from Pakistan. The delegation was led by Chair Polio Oversight Board and President Global Development Program of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Dr. Christopher Elias. The prime minister thanked the delegation for its untiring efforts regarding polio eradication in Pakistan. He also highlighted the government’s efforts, which have resulted in containing the spread of the virus to the extent that major parts of the country are now polio free whereby only few pockets are left which are being targeted in the periodic polio campaigns. The prime minister also assured the delegation that the teams in the field are given high level security and Pakistan will never allow anyone to sabotage this national effort. Shehbaz Sharif directed the Federal Minister for National Health Services, Abdul Qadir Patel to immediately visit Peshawar and synergize efforts with the Provincial Government’s authorities for gearing up efforts to vaccinate children against polio virus, particularly targeting those pockets in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where polio virus is still present. Country Director, UNICEF briefed the Prime Minister about the relief efforts in flood hit areas of the country and polio campaigns in those areas. The delegation also lauded the Prime Minister for keeping the politics aside and working with the provincial governments for polio eradication from the country.

Article source: https://www.nation.com.pk/02-Dec-2022/pakistan-seeks-climate-justice-not-charity-pm