ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has said that he wanted to see Pakistan as one of the leading environmentally responsible nations in the world through a mix of green sector policy reforms and increased tree cover.
In his message on ‘International Day of Forests’ being observed on Tuesday the prime minister said he was glad that Pakistan had already ratified the ‘Paris Agreement’ wherein the country showed commitment to deal with impacts of climate change through technology framework and enhanced capacity building.
He said ‘International Day of Forests’ was being commemorated in Pakistan to highlight the importance of preserving forests and growing more trees. He said his government realised the importance of trees as the best instrument of climate change mitigation.
“Climate change is not only affecting our present but it will adversely affect our generations to come. Therefore, if we do not act today, we risk the future of our coming generations,” he remarked. Prime Minister Sharif said working towards a green future for the coming generations, his government had already put in operation ‘Green Pakistan Programme’ throughout the country to fight adverse impacts of climate change.
He said the federal government had released Rs 553 million as the first tranche of ‘Green Pakistan’ fund, to be disbursed to all provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan and FATA for afforestation.
“I would like to reiterate my personal commitment and urge the nation to work for a Green Pakistan which values its trees, wildlife and bio-diversity as most precious endowments of the mother nature,” he said.
