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Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif gave in-principle approval for the declaration of a climate and agricultural emergency in response to the devastating impact of monsoon rains and widespread flooding across Pakistan, as reported by The Express Tribune.
According to The Express Tribune, while chairing a federal cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Sharif said he would soon call a meeting with the Chief Ministers of all four provinces in the country and other key officials to develop a coordinated strategy to prevent further damage caused by climate change. During the meeting, cabinet members were briefed on extensive flood-related losses, including the destruction of millions of acres of agricultural land and crops. Members proposed measures for infrastructure rehabilitation, farmer compensation, and support for agricultural recovery. The announcement came during a press briefing by Pakistan''s Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, accompanied by Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik, following the federal cabinet meeting, Geo News reported. Chaudhry stated that the cabinet had unanimously endorsed Sharif''s decision for the immediate implementation of the climate emergency, recognising the severe impacts of climate change, including altered weather patterns and increasingly destructive monsoon seasons. Highlighting past environmental mismanagement, Chaudhry pointed to unchecked deforestation and encroachments along natural waterways as key factors contributing to the current flood devastation, as reported by Geo News. The Minister for Climate Change has been tasked with preparing a comprehensive report within 15 days, which will guide the government in formulating long-term solutions and policy responses to future climate threats, Geo News reported. The agriculture emergency, he said, will assist in evaluating the scale of damage to crops and help determine appropriate compensation mechanisms for farmers. During the cabinet meeting, Sharif also said the danger was not over, as the floodwaters were still flowing south and emphasised that both federal and provincial governments would share the responsibility of compensating for the destruction, Geo News reported. He noted that around 1,000 lives have been lost, thousands have been displaced, and vast areas of agricultural land have been submerged, severely affecting crops like wheat and cotton. Sharif also urged the development of a robust national strategy to counter the impacts of climate change, warning against the complacency and status quo that have historically hindered effective governance in Pakistan. (ANI)
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