Wednesday, 19 October, 2022 I 22 Rabi ul Awwal, 1444 I Rs 15.00 I Vol XIII No 110 I 12 Pages I Islamabad Edition
PM for constituting exPerts’ coMMittee on cliMate change g
LAuDS MInISTer fOr CLIMATe CHAnGe Over PLeADInG CASe Of PAKISTAn GLObALLy
ISLAMABAD
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staff report
rIMe Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif Tuesday directed to constitute an expert Committee on Climate Change which would be advising the federal Government with regard to strategies on the issues related to various aspects of climate change such as climate finance, adaptation, and loss and damage assessment. The prime minister, who was chairing the first meeting of Pakistan Climate Change Council (PCCC) here, commended the initiative of the Ministry of Climate Change with regard to the constitution of the Climate Change Council and praised the Minister for Climate Change for pleading the case of Pakistan with regard to climate change, globally. He said the climate change induced devastating floods had caused havoc across the country, especially in the provinces of Sindh and balochistan. Despite having less than 1 percent share in the global carbon emission, Pakistan was one of the 10 countries most affected by climate change, he underlined, a press release issued by the PM Media Wing said. The prime minister urged the need to improve risk mapping, capacity building to access climate finance as well as loss and damage assessment ability. He emphasized on including risk mitigation and adaptation in disaster management strategies to reduce damages in the future. The prime minister also stressed on the
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STreSSeS IMPrOveD rISK MAPPInG, CAPACITy buILDInG TO ACCeSS CLIMATe fInAnCe, DAMAGe ASSeSSMenT
need of better coordination among the federating units on environment issues as environment was a devolved subject after the 18th Constitutional Amendment. The meeting was briefed that this year, Pakistan suffered overwhelming events like severe drought (that dried the delta area of Sindh province), forest fires, heat waves, glacier melting with three times than the average rate, glacial outbreak floods followed by heavy monsoon rains, were induced by climate change. It was informed that the World bank had estimated Pakistan’s recent flood losses at uS $ 40 billion. Pakistan faced 152 extreme events related to climate change in the last two decades and there was 300 percent increase in Glacial Lake Outburst floods (GLOf), the meeting was told. It was further briefed that high intensity heatwave persistence had increased to 41 days per year and Pakistan had the hottest cities in the world for straight three years with temperature rising as high as 53.7 degree celsius. The participants were further briefed that the upcoming 27th Conference of Parties (COP) under the united nations, to be held in egypt in november 2022, would provide Pakistan with an opportunity to present its stance on vulnerability with regard to effects of climate change, water scarcity, food security, sea level rise and increase in climate induced migration. The meeting was apprised that being a chair of Group 77 countries, Pakistan would also be pleading the case of the member countries with regard to the effects of climate change. The participants of the meeting, while ap-
preciating the initiative of the federal Government, emphasized on the need of devising a national Adaptation Plan and strict implementation of the existing environment laws to mitigate the effects of climate change. The PCCC was constituted under the Pakistan Climate Change Act, 2017. The current PCCC was notified on August 29, 2022. The Council is headed by the Prime Minister with 26 official and 20 non-official members. The function of the Council is to advise and coordinate on Pakistan’s international commitments on climate change and environment issues, mainstreaming climate change concerns into decision making and implementation of comprehensive adaptation and mitigation policies. The meeting was attended by Minister for Climate Change Ms Sherry rehman, Minister for Information and broadcasting Ms Marriyum Aurangzeb, Minister for Water resources Syed Khursheed Shah, Minister for Power engineer Khurram Dastgir, AJK Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas, provincial ministers and officials from Gilgit baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, environmental experts, lawyers, environmental journalists and members from the civil society. earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif warned the united nations General Assembly (unGA) that climate disasters will not remain limited to his country, if the world did not take action against irresponsible environmental practices. PM Sharif’s statement came as Pakistan continued to reel from the aftermath of devastating floods in the country, which have killed more than 1,500 people, uprooted millions, and washed away livestock, homes and crops on 4 million acres of land. Pakistani officials have blamed the devastation on human-driven climate change and say the South Asian country is unfairly bearing the consequences of irresponsible environmental practices elsewhere in the world. “What happened in Pakistan will not stay in Pakistan,” PM Sharif said in his address with the unGA. “Pakistan has never seen a more stark and devastating example of the impact of global warming. Life in Pakistan has changed forever.” Pakistan is eighth on nGO Germanwatch’s Global Climate risk Index, a list of countries deemed most vulnerable to extreme weather caused by climate change, despite contributing less than 1 percent to global carbon emissions. “It is therefore, entirely reasonable to expect some approximation of justice for this loss and damage, not to mention building back better with resilience,” PM Sharif said.
SC acquits Shahrukh Jatoi in Shahzeb murder case ISLAMABAD staff report
Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday acquitted Shahrukh Jatoi and his accomplices in the Shahzeb murder case. A three-judge bench, headed by Justice Ijazul Ahsan heard the case. During the hearing, counsel for Shahrukh Sardar Latif Khosa, told the apex court that a formal pardon had already been issued and that his clients had no intention of spreading terror. It merits mentioning that Shahzeb was murdered in 2012 in Karachi’s defence area over a petty dispute. An AntiTerrorism Court (ATC) had handed the death penalty to Shahrukh and his accomplice Siraj Ali Talpur for the murder, while Sajjad Ali Talpur and Ghulam Murtaza Lashari were awarded life sentences. The SHC, while hearing appeals against the conviction, later commuted the death sentences into life imprisonment. Subsequently, all four accused approached the Supreme Court against the verdict of the high court. GOVT TO CHALLENGE SHAHRUKH’S ACQUITTAL: The federal government announced to challenge the acquittal of Shahrukh Jatoi as well as his accomplices in Shahzeb Khan murder case. In a statement, Attorney General’s (AG) Office said that a petition would be filed with the Supreme Court (SC) to reconsider its verdict. The statement said the opinion of the Attorney General’s Office was not sought before acquitting Jatoi. “There were provisions of terrorism included in the murder case,” the AGP’s Office said, adding that in the decision of Jatoi’s acquittal, the Supreme Court’s conclusion deviates from the judicial decisions related to the crime of terrorism. Therefore, the case should be reviewed in view of the components of compromise, fasad-fil-arz (mischief on earth), and other matters. Shahzeb murder case Shahzeb, 20, was shot dead on the night between December 24 and 25 in 2012 in a posh locality of Karachi. Shahrukh Jatoi was involved in the killing of Shahzeb Khan, the only son of a retired DSP, in Defence Housing Authority. An ATC handed him a death sentence in 2013. In 2017, the complainant side had ‘pardoned’ him under the Qisas and Diyat law. However, in 2018, the Supreme Court of Pakistan took notice of it. Subsequently, his death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment by the Sindh High Court (SHC).
Army top brass reposes full trust in nuclear command, control system RAWALAPINDI staff report
The Pakistan Army’s Corps Commanders on Tuesday expressed ‘full confidence’ in the country’s robust nuclear command and control system and security of its strategic nuclear arms, saying Islamabad has taken all steps necessary to buttress its nuclear atomic regime, said the Inter-Services Public relations (ISPr) on Tuesday. According to ISPr statement issued on Tuesday, this was the outcome of the 252nd Corps Commanders’ Conference which was held at General Headquarters (GHQ) with Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Javed bajwa in the chair. The statement of confidence by the military top brass comes days after uS President Joe biden kicked up a storm by claiming that “Pakistan was the most dangerous country in the world” due to lack of “cohesion and nukes”. “I am surprised at President biden’s statement,” foreign Minister bilawal bhutto-Zardari had reacted at a news conference in Karachi while Prime Min-
ister Shehbaz Sharif dismissed concerns over Pakistan’s nuclear programme as “factually incorrect” During the 252nd Corps Commanders Conference presided over by COAS General Qamar Javed bajwa, the forum was informed that Pakistan, as a responsible nuclear state, had ‘taken all measures’ to strengthen its nuclear security regime’ which is at par with international best practices. The ISPr statement said the participants took a comprehensive review of the prevailing internal and external security situation and operational preparedness of the Armed forces. The conference attendees were also apprised of the army’s assistance to the civil administration for relief and rehabilitation efforts in flood-affected areas of the country as well as the post-flood situation, particularly in Sindh and balochistan. While expressing satisfaction over operational preparedness of the formations, the COAS reiterated Pakistan Army’s resolve to defend the motherland against all threats.
The forum reposed full confidence in Pakistan’s robust nuclear command and control structure and security arrangements related to country’s strategic assets. As a responsible nuclear weapon state, Pakistan has taken all measures necessary to strengthen its nuclear security regime, at par with international best practices, the forum was informed.
The army chief lauded the formations’ operational readiness and sustained efforts during flood relief duties, added the military’s media wing. The reassurance about the nuclear safety system came after uS President Joe biden remarks about Pakistan’s atomic weapons. US ‘CONfIdENT’ Of PAKISTAN’S AbILITy TO SECURE NUKES: The united States
said on Monday that it had confidence in Pakistan’s ability to secure its nuclear arsenal after President Joe biden expressed alarm, leading Islamabad to summon the uS ambassador. “The united States is confident of Pakistan’s commitment and its ability to secure its nuclear assets,” State Department spokesperson vedant Patel told reporters. “The uS has always viewed a secure and prosperous Pakistan as critical to uS interests and, more broadly, the uS values our long-standing cooperation with Pakistan,” he said. Meanwhile, Islamabad and Washington have been working quietly to make sure recent efforts seeking a reset in the relationship remain on track. According to reports, the uS conveyed to Pakistan that President biden’s statement did not mean any new demand or policy shift in Washington’s approach. Although Pakistan rejected biden’s statement and summoned the uS ambassador to record a formal protest, both countries are keen to move on from the controversy.