KARACHI:
The PML-N-led federal government has decided to initiate a comprehensive national-level dialogue to address the issues of climate change, floods, rainfall patterns, and the urgent need for constructing new dams across the country.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to form a high-powered political committee soon, tasked with consulting all parliamentary parties to develop a unified and inclusive national strategy, according to senior PML-N sources.
The sources revealed that the party leadership had already conducted detailed internal consultations on the climate crisis and its far-reaching challenges. The government aimed to position climate change as a key national issue and build consensus across political divides, they added.
The proposed committee, according to a PML-N source, will engage with all major political parties and likely to pave the way for an all-party conference (APC), where a joint roadmap will be formulated to mitigate the threats emanating from climate change.
Key proposals, which are being considered, include establishment of a parliamentary committee comprising lawmakers, also including experts in water management, environmental science, and climate studies to shaping policies related to dam construction and climate adaptation, the sources said.
“In addition to parliamentary consultations, the federal government also plans to work closely with provincial administrations and a task force, comprising representatives of federal and provincial governments, along with technical specialists, may soon be formed to fast-track the construction of small, medium, and large dams.
Funding for these projects will be mobilised through a combination of domestic resources and support from international financial institutions. The government has stressed that all-related policies and projects will be developed through national consensus to ensure unity and effectiveness.
State Minister for Religious Affairs Khail Das Kohistani told The Express Tribune that new dams were a pressing necessity to secure the country’s water future. He added that the prime minister had already held consultations with provincial governments, reaffirming that no controversial water projects will be pursued.
“The consultative process for constructing new reservoirs is ongoing and will continue in a transparent and inclusive manner,” the minister said.
