Day: June 13, 2024

Coordinator to Prime Minister on Climate Change Romina Khurshid Alam has called for collective action to overcome the challenge of climate change.

She was addressing a seminar titled ‘Disaster-Resilient Pakistan’ organised by National Disaster Management Authority in Islamabad today.

The Prime Minister’s Coordinator said the government is taking all-out policy measures to overcome the impacts and address the country’s worsening climate-vulnerability.

She emphasized public private partnership to cope with the challenge of climate change. She urged the private sector to come forward and support government’s climate resilience building initiatives.

She highlighted the government’s different projects to tackle climate change including the National Environment Policy, National Climate Change Policy, National Forest Policy, the Pakistan Climate Change Act (2017) and Green Building Codes.

Romina Khurshid Alam also mentioned the projects implemented under these policies like Glacial Lake Outburst Flood Risk Redu
ction project, Living Indus Initiative, Recharge Pakistan and Green Pakistan Programme, under which 2.1 billion tree saplings have already been planted across the country.

She warned that failure to act would only aggravate the climate-vulnerability of the country’s socio-economic sectors, particularly agriculture, energy, water, health and education.

Source: Radio Pakistan

The Senate has commenced discussion on the finance bill 2024-25.

Opening the debate, Leader of the Opposition Shibli Faraz said the budget for next fiscal year carries no economic vision to steer the country out of debt trap.

Participating in the debate, Irfan ul Haque Siddiqui said there is no crisis in the country as all the institutions are working and the parliament is functional.

Saifullah Abro said the health sector has been neglected in the budget. He called for providing more relief to the salaried class.

Felicitating the government for presenting a balanced budget, Senator Bushra Anjum Butt said that the government took tough decisions to steer the country on the path of economic stability.

Muhammad Ismail Buledi appreciated the government for allocating more funds for Benazir Income Support Program.

Senator Zamir Hussain Ghumro called for a funding mechanism for universities in Sindh.

Others who took part in the discussion included Senator Danesh Kumar, Dr Afnan Ullah Khan, Maulana Abdul Wasa
y, Syed Masroor Ahsan and Haji Shakoor Achakzai.

The House has now been adjourned to meet again at 10:30 am tomorrow.

Source: Radio Pakistan

The Senate has commenced discussion on the finance bill 2024-25.

Opening the debate, Leader of the Opposition Shibli Faraz said the budget for next fiscal year carries no economic vision to steer the country out of debt trap. He welcomed the enhancement in minimum wage but regretted the increase in the taxes on salaried class.

Participating in the debate, Irfan-ul-Haque Siddiqui said there is no crisis in the country as all the institutions are working and the parliament is functional. He defended the government’s taxation measures saying widening the tax base is important to take the country towards self-reliance and execute projects for the welfare of the people.

Saifullah Abro said the health sector has been neglected in the budget. He called for providing more relief to the salaried class.

Felicitating the government for presenting a balanced budget, Senator Bushra Anjum Butt said that the government took tough decisions to steer the country on the path of economic stability. She said the potential se
ctors should be brought into the tax net instead of putting more burden on those already paying taxes.

Aimal Wali Khan said the budget will further complicate the economic situation.

Taj Haider called for taking concrete steps to strengthen the industrial sector. He said prices of fertilizers should be reduced to provide relief to the farmers.

Muhammad Ismail Buledi appreciated the government for allocating more funds for Benazir Income Support Program. He also welcomed the insurance scheme for the journalist community.

Source: Radio Pakistan

President Asif Ali Zardari has directed Federal Insurance Ombudsman to provide speedy and cost-free justice to aggrieved insurance policy holders against maladministration of insurance companies.

Talking to newly-appointed Federal Insurance Ombudsman Mumtaz Ali Shah in Islamabad today, he stressed to ensure quick disposal of complaints to provide monetary relief to maximum number of citizens.

The President also advised FIO to use modern technology tools to increase disposal of complaints.

Source: Radio Pakistan

National Disaster Management Authority held a seminar titled “Disaster Resilient Pakistan” in Islamabad today to reflect country’s commitment to international disaster management standards.

The event hosted a series of in-depth discussions on climate resilience, emergency preparedness, climate change adaptation and community resilience.

The Speakers emphasized the collective responsibility in disaster management and discussed the adoption of a national anticipatory approach.

The seminar also witnessed the inauguration of significant publications on disaster management.

On this occasion, Chairman NDMA Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik urged that engaging young people not only builds future resilience, but also injects fresh perspectives and innovative ideas into disaster management strategies.

Source: Radio Pakistan