ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has given the go-ahead for declaring a climate and agricultural emergency as relentless monsoon rains and widespread flooding continue to devastate the country.
Chairing a federal cabinet meeting on Wednesday, the prime minister announced that he would soon hold consultations with the chief ministers of all four provinces, along with key officials, to hammer out a strategy aimed at limiting further losses and preparing a long-term response to climate change.
During the briefing, ministers were told that millions of acres of farmland had been destroyed, inflicting heavy losses on crops and livelihoods. The cabinet discussed possible measures, including rebuilding infrastructure, compensating affected farmers, and offering support to revive the agriculture sector.
The meeting also addressed other pressing issues. Cabinet members strongly condemned offensive content circulating on social media against martyrs and the armed forces, vowing strict action against those behind such campaigns. Paying tribute to fallen soldiers, Prime Minister Sharif said the sacrifices of the armed forces and their families would never be forgotten. The session offered special prayers for Major Adnan Aslam Shaheed, who lost his life in the Bannu operation.
Condolences were also extended to Federal Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry on the passing of his mother, Minister of State Malik Rasheed Ahmad Khan on the death of his elder brother, and former Senate chairman Sadiq Sanjrani on the loss of his father.
On the international front, the prime minister condemned what he termed Israel’s “illegal and heinous” strike in Doha, expressing full solidarity with the Emir of Qatar, the royal family, and the people of Qatar.
The cabinet also cleared several economic and development initiatives. It approved a Ministry of Petroleum proposal to begin providing RLNG connections to long-pending applicants. Officials explained that RLNG would cost about 30 percent less than LPG, offering financial relief to households.
Another major approval came for a trilateral inter-governmental agreement between Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan to conduct a feasibility study for a strategic rail link. The project, signed last month, is expected to boost regional trade and connectivity, with the cabinet reaffirming its commitment to ensure timely progress.
Additionally, the meeting ratified earlier decisions made by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC), the Cabinet Committee on Inter-Governmental Commercial Transactions (CCoIGCT), and the Cabinet Committee for Legislative Cases (CCLC).
With the in-principle approval of a climate and agricultural emergency, officials say the government is now preparing a comprehensive response plan aimed at protecting livelihoods, rehabilitating farmland, and strengthening Pakistan’s resilience against future climate shocks.
