LAHORE – WWF-Pakistan lauded the newly elected Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan’s resolve towards solving environmental issues in his first address to the nation on Sunday.
The prime minister noted with concern the issues of global warming, water scarcity, air pollution and solid waste management in the metropolis such as Karachi.
WWF-Pakistan appreciated his commitment to addressing the problems of pollution, initiating massive tree plantation drives to tackle climate change and promote clean air, and an environmentally responsible development agenda.
Commenting on Imran Khan’s speech, Hammad Naqi Khan, Director General WWF-Pakistan said it is the right time to take practical steps to address environmental challenges. He further said Pakistan is facing deforestation, climate change and the depletion of freshwater resources which are adversely impacting the environment, health, and economy of the country.
He also said that with only 2% forest cover remaining, the PM’s commitment to start large-scale plantations will help increase tree cover and reduce air pollution. He also added that solid waste management is a serious issue which individuals and the government need to tackle in order to protect local ecosystems.
The dumping of sewage water and industrial waste into freshwater bodies must also be stopped. He also appreciated that the PM took note of the country’s water scarcity and aims to promote initiatives for efficient water management in the country. Imparting proper knowledge to the farmers and promoting agriculture research are a welcome move that can help increase crop yields and income generation capacity of the farmers, Naqi maintained.
WWF-Pakistan hopes that the newly elected government’s vision will help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2030.
