Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday announced the imposition of a climate and agriculture emergency in the country in the aftermath of ongoing floods that have devastated farmland and affected millions.
Chairing a meeting of the federal cabinet, he noted that Punjab had suffered extensive destruction, with thousands of acres of crops submerged. Noting that assessments were underway to determine the extent of the damage, particularly to crops like wheat and cotton, he lamented that nearly 1,000 people had perished due to this year’s rains nationwide. Additionally, he said, thousands of families were rendered homeless.
Sharif emphasized that while the flood was on the wane in Punjab, it was now headed toward Sindh. He vowed that the federal and provincial governments would collaborate to compensate losses. He said the situation required the formulation of a comprehensive roadmap and strategy to overcome the challenges posed by climate change, noting the situation could not be addressed overnight.
During his address, the prime minister referred to as “naked aggression” an Israeli airstrike on a residential compound in Doha. Condemning the attack, he said he had talked with the emir of Qatar after it and expressed Pakistan’s solidarity with the brotherly country. The Qatari emir, he said, expressed his gratitude for showing complete solidarity.
Sharif said the bloodbath in Gaza also continued unabated, adding that there global history had no record of the levels of cruelty and brutality unleashed by Israel.
On his recent tour of China, the premier said the two countries had held bilateral meetings that required follow-ups to ensure there were no inordinate delays to execution of desired outcomes. He said the Pak-China business-to-business conference had proven a success, culminating in agreements worth $8.5 billion. He said the focus of the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would be agriculture, with China making 85% of investments in different projects and Pakistan bearing the remaining 15%.
He said U.S. companies would also make investment in the exploration of mines and minerals sector in Pakistan by using modern technology, adding Islamabad is keen on improving ties with the U.S. while simultaneously strengthening strategic partnership with China.
The prime minister also paid tribute to the valor of Major Adnan Aslam shaheed who embraced martyrdom while fighting with Fitna al Khwarij terrorists in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. He said he had attended the martyr’s funeral prayer and met the members of his family, noting their morale remained high. He commended the officers and personnel of the security forces who are sacrificing their lives while fighting the enemies of the country. He reiterated the need to discourage elements sharing nefarious material against security forces on social media, terming it “highly condemnable.”