ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered the formation of a committee to identify problems related to climate change and to tackle them.

While chairing a meeting reg­a­r­ding climate change on Saturday, the prime minister said Pakistan was among the countries that had least role in climate destruction but was the most affected by climate change.

He said a comprehensive and effective strategy was needed to tackle the effects of climate change, as it affected the agriculture, energy, water, infrastructure and other sectors. The premier was earlier briefed on projects related to climate change.

Minister for Information Atta­ullah Tarar, Mi­­nister for Planning and Deve­lopment Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Chee­­ma, relevant officials and climate change experts attended the meeting.

Shehbaz tells Russian diplomat Pakistan wants to enhance bilateral cooperation in energy, trade and investment

Ties with Russia

Separately, at a meeting with Ambassador of the Russian Federation Albert P. Khorev who called on him, Prime Minister Sharif said that Pakistan wanted to enhance bilateral cooperation with Russia in a number of areas particularly in energy, trade and investment.

The prime minister stressed the need for early convening of the 9th session of the Inter-Governmental Commission (IGC), due to be hosted by Russia later this year.

He also urged the Russian side to send a delegation to Pakistan to hold discussions with their counterparts to identify ways to enhan­­ce the existing level of trade and investment ties between the two countries.

While fondly recalling their meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisa­tion (SCO) Summit in Samarkand in 2022, PM Sharif reiterated his invitation to President Vladimir Putin to undertake an official visit to Pakistan at his earliest convenience. He also thanked President Putin for the congratulatory message sent to him on his re-election.

The Russian ambassador assured the prime minister that Russia wanted to build stronger ties with Pakistan and said that, in addition to energy, trade and investment, Russia was also keen to enhance cooperation in education and culture.

Earlier while noting the historic cordial ties between Pakis­tan and Russia, the prime minister expressed deep condolences on the loss of precious lives in the Moscow attack and said Pakistan stood in solidarity with Russia at this tragic hour, according to the PM Office.

Published in Dawn, March 31st, 2024