‘Act now’: PM Shehbaz tells SCO as he calls for action on climate change

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called Pakistan an “ocean of water”.
Says “Now is the time to act, act now” against climate change.
Prime Minister says SCO should plan for future generations.

Samarkand: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday called for action against climate change that has led to devastating floods in Pakistan as he said “now is the time to act, act now”.

The Prime Minister was speaking. Council of Heads of State (CHS) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)where he spoke about the climate disaster that has devastated Pakistan and killed hundreds of people.

The prime minister added that the floods – which caused billions of dollars in damage – made Pakistan look like a “sea of ​​water”.

“Devastating floods in Pakistan are definitely due to climate change. It is a result of climate change, bursting of clouds and unprecedented rains, combined with down hill storms,” ​​the Prime Minister said. .

Noting that he had “never seen this kind of destruction before”, the prime minister called on the organization to “build a wall” against the threat of climate change.

The Prime Minister stressed that the SCO should plan for future generations.

Prime Minister Shehbaz along with leaders of the eight-member Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) attended the close format CHS at the Congress Center where he was received by President of Uzbekistan Shaukat Mirziyoyev.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Uzbek President Mirziyoyev, Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, Tajikistan President Imam Ali Rahman, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also attended the meeting. attended

Record monsoon rains in southern and southwestern Pakistan and snowmelt in northern parts caused flooding that affected about 33 million people in the South Asian country of 220 million, costing $30 billion in damage to homes, crops, bridges, roads and livestock. Damages estimated. .

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) reported 1,508 deaths, including 536 children and 308 women.

Millions of displaced people are in dire need of assistance with food, shelter, clean drinking water, sanitation and medicine.

Many people are sleeping in the open along elevated highways, water-borne diseases are spreading among people and thousands are infected.

The stormy monsoon, which inundated large parts of Pakistan, was a one-in-a-hundred-year event likely to become more intense due to climate change, scientists said on Thursday.

‘big mistake’

At the beginning of his speech, the Prime Minister noted that it is important to ensure that there is peace in Afghanistan because peace in Kabul means peace in Islamabad.

The prime minister added that it would be a “big mistake” to ignore Afghanistan this time as the Taliban-ruled nation struggles with terrorism and poverty.

As you know Pakistan is a neighboring country of Afghanistan and peace in Afghanistan will ensure peace in Pakistan. In other words, what is good for Afghanistan is good for Pakistan and vice versa,” he said.

The prime minister said the international community should work to support “good initiatives” in the war-torn country.

“Fight this scourge of extremism, separatism and terrorism and eradicate it from this earth,” the prime minister urged SCO members to join hands for the cause.

The Prime Minister urged the international community to support efforts to build a sustainable Afghan economy and unfreeze its financial assets.

Gas talks with Putin

During a sideline meeting, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that it is possible to supply pipeline gas to Pakistan, and that part of the necessary infrastructure is already in place.

A statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office said, “The Prime Minister is committed to further expanding and strengthening cooperation between the two countries in all areas of mutual benefit, including food security, trade and investment, energy, defense and security.” Reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to work with Russia to

It said that both sides agreed to convene the next meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) in Islamabad as soon as possible.

A long-delayed gas pipeline critical to the South Asian country’s economy — the Pakistan Stream Gas Project, also known as the North-South Gas Pipeline — is to be built in collaboration with Russian companies.

The two countries agreed in 2015 to build a 1,100 km (683 mi) pipeline to transport liquefied natural gas (LNG) imported from Karachi on the Arabian Sea coast to power plants in the northeastern province of Punjab.

The pipeline has a designed annual capacity of 12.4 billion cubic meters (bcm), with a potential increase of up to 16 bcm.

The project, due to start in 2020, was delayed when Russia had to replace an initial partner, which was under Western sanctions.

Sharif has said in recent weeks that his government is also interested in buying wheat from Russia if it is offered at better prices.

Met other heads of state.

The prime minister – during a meeting with Tajik President Imam Ali Rehman – expressed Pakistan’s commitment to the timely completion of the crucial CASA-1000 power project aimed at transmitting electricity from the Central Asian nation.

The two leaders held wide-ranging discussions covering all aspects of mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation, including regional and international issues.

The Prime Minister emphasized on expanding cooperation in the field of road transportation and stressed the importance of connectivity.

He emphasized Pakistan’s readiness to facilitate access to Tajikistan to Gwadar and Karachi.

President Rehman expressed deep sympathy and condolence over the loss of human life and destruction caused by the floods in Pakistan and assured Tajikistan’s full cooperation in the relief and rehabilitation efforts of the affected people.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif thanked Tajikistan for helping the flood-affected people in Pakistan and detailed the devastation caused by massive floods due to climate change.

He also met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, where the two leaders expressed their mutual commitment to enhance bilateral cooperation in various fields, including trade, energy and defense.

Both sides also emphasized on strengthening ties in the areas of education and people-to-people relations.

Prime Minister Shehbaz emphasized the importance of unlocking the existing potential in the relationship by enhancing bilateral engagement in the areas of trade, investment, agriculture, information technology and tourism.

He reiterated Pakistan’s principled support to Azerbaijan on Nagorno-Karabakh and congratulated it on the historic achievement of independence of the occupied territories.

The prime minister also expressed his condolences over the recent martyrdom of 71 Azeri soldiers in an unprovoked attack by Armenia.

He reiterated his support for Azerbaijan’s right to self-defense in accordance with international law and to protect its territorial integrity.

With additional input from APP and writers.