The minister also urged media to join hands to boost resilience against adverse climate change impacts, which are posing dangers to the country. The minister said that the government will soon unveil the Wildlife Policy which will focus on joint efforts to enhance forest cover in all the provinces. He said the government intends to constitute Climate Change Authority (CCA), adding the four-member authority would be headed by an expert. He said that over 100 subject specialists would also be included in the CCA.
Mushahidullah Khan said, "Pakistan has taken a number of important steps towards climate-friendly development including ratification of Paris Agreement and passing of Climate Change Act while steps are being taken to establish provincial climate change centers as well." The National Climate Change Policy 2016 gives legal effect to meet Pakistan's obligations under international conventions relating to climate change. The policy document in any field is a living document and requires continuous update and incorporation in the country's planning documents.
"We must join hands today to mitigate the climate risk to the world by bringing together businesses, governments and public bodies to accelerate sustainable development, advance the green economy and promote use of natural resources with sanity," he said. The common global menace of climate change, which has put the sustainability of the planet earth at risk, cannot be tackled alone and everyone should play its due role in enhancing awareness about the hazards of environment change, he said and added that the incumbent government has already devised forestry policy.
He said that he has suggested to the government to allow import of wood to avoid cutting of trees. He said he has issued directives to plant 100 trees to replace every single tree cut down. Responding to a question, he said the claims of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government of planting 1.08 billion saplings is appreciable.
In response to another query, he said former President Asif Ali Zardari was not a political personality as he had never remained associated with any student movement or any political movement. The statement of Asif Ali Zardari terming Pakistan Awami Tehreek chief Tahir-ul-Qadri as replacement of Nawabzada Nasrullah was simply lamentable.
He said he has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Pakistan Tobacco Company to sponsor the construction of boundary wall of Botanical Garden being constructed on 785 acres of land at Bani Gala, Islamabad. The inauguration ceremony for constructing boundary wall around Botanical Garden would be held on January 10 and the project would cost Rs 80.5 million.