Category: Pakistan

Karachi (Muhammad Yasir)  Camelia Galey, wife of Ambassador of France in Pakistan, paid a special visit to The Buraq Center by LADIESFUND, and met with Dawood Global Foundation President Tara Uzra Dawood and the team, to discuss opportunities for collaboration in the fields that LADIESFUND is working on in French-Pakistan fashion fusion startup incubation and training, flood.

ISLAMABAD (Muhammad Yasir) Ensuring the Government’s commitment and full support towards rehabilitation of flood affected communities, Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said “Government is moving all available resources to get out of this natural crisis caused by the devastating floods and for this purpose we desperately need sustained and regular support of all kinds from the international community”.

These thoughts were expressed during a meeting with a delegation of international humanitarian organization Save the Children (SCI) here on Thursday.

The delegation comprised Country Director SCI M. Khurram Gondal and Global Humanitarian Director, SCI Gabriella Waaijman and Usman Aslam, Director Policy, Advocacy & Communications.

The delegation also held separate meetings with Federal Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman and Chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Lt Gen Akhtar Nawaz Satti in Islamabad.

Purpose of these meetings was to further strengthen collaboration in the government’s efforts towards protecting flood affected population especially children from water-borne diseases like diahorrea, eye infection, skin problems and their rehabilitation along with resolving nutritional issues of children, lactating mothers and expecting women including taking measures to prevent climate induced disasters such as the recent mega-floods.

During their meeting with the NDMA Chairman, the SCI delegation briefed him about the sustained support as well as projects their organization has launched for the rehabilitation of affected population especially children.

The NDMA Chairman said that we are strategizing to drain out the stagnant flood water from affected areas as it is the major cause of diseases spread. He also said that other projects like nutritional issues of pregnant and lactating mothers, building resilient communities, recovery of agriculture and farming and ensuring long-term psycho social support of children are at different stages of execution.

Country Director SCI M. Khurram Gondal assured his support and said that SCI has established temporary learning centres (TLCs), Child Friendly Spaces (CFS) and rural health centres in various flood-hit districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Balochistan. He also informed that SCI is collaborating with the Sindh government to establish over 600 TLCs in most affected districts of Dadu, Sanghar, Shikarpur and Khairpur to promote education and provide most critical psycho-social support to the affected children, so that children could be children again.

Meanwhile, the SCI delegation called on Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman.

On the occasion, Global Humanitarian Director SCI assured Save the Children’s support & collaboration in addressing the climate related issues faced by Pakistan to prevent disasters such as the recent flood which has caused havoc.

SCI has already initiated response in flood affected Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh. It is expanding operations to address the immediate survival needs in the worst-hit districts to minimize the adverse effects of flooding on health, food & security, and nutrition of children, women, and their families. Global Humanitarian Director said that Save the Children has so far reached out to over 69,000+ people, including 36,000 children through the life-saving activities under the flood response 2022.

Sherry Rehman appreciated the SCI’s humanitarian support and said the government and military along with international community’s support are ensuring to address this human crisis.

M.Khurram Gondal said that, nine-month rehabilitation is being executed under which over 2000 shelters have been established in worst hit districts across Pakistan for displaced population to protect them during winter season.

Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir) The Fiji Muslim League (FML) has made a collection of Fijian Dollars 100,000.00 (USD50,000) to assist the Pakistani communities, who have been severely affected by the recent floods.

FML launched the Pakistan Flood Appeal in September to raise funds for the affected families.

Speaking on behalf of FML, Mr. Saud Minam said the Fijian community understands the impacts of such disasters and the need for assistance in the aftermath of the devastating weather conditions.

“Climate change related impacts such as tropical cyclones and devastating floods are common for Fiji. Hence, we realize the immediate need for humanitarian assistance for impacted families,” said Mr. Minam.

“We stand together with our Pakistani families during this difficult time and with these funds, we hope to make a difference in the life of those affected by the floods.”

“Our prayers are with all who have been impacted by the severe weather conditions”, Mr. Minam added.

Founded in 1926, the Fiji Muslim League is a religious and social organization based in Suva, Fiji. It has contributed extensively to the education system in Fiji, in particular helping deserving Muslim students for tertiary studies through loans.

Karachi (Muhammad Yasir)  FrieslandCampina is partnering with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-Pakistan) on a tree plantation initiative to increase local resilience to the impact of climate change and increase tree cover.

The collaboration will focus on the plantation of indigenous trees to help combat pollution, deforestation, and urban flooding. Under the partnership, FCEPL team planted mangrove saplings at the WWF Wetland Center in Karachi. Additionally, WWF held a training for FCEPL’s employees to educate them on plantation techniques and post-care.

Highlighting the partnership, Sania Sattar Head of Sustainability, FrieslandCampina Pakistan, stated: “Regeneration is a core pillar of FCEPL’s local sustainability strategy. There is a pressing need to address the ongoing effects of climate change, and only through a cohesive, concentrated and collaborative effort can we hope to mitigate them.”
Speaking on the occasion, Faisal Razi, Director Marketing at FCEPL said, “We remain committed to nourishing Pakistan sustainably while working in balance with nature. All of us have collective responsibility towards our planet and we must leave a better one for the generations to come.”

Emphasizing the need for climate action, Hammad Naqi, Director General of WWF-Pakistan said: From heat waves to forest fires and the worst floods in recent memory, Pakistan is facing a climate catastrophe. It is therefore imperative that we come together; governments, businesses, and non-profit and development organizations; to work towards climate adaptation. Mangrove plantation is a part of this solution. As the first line of defense against cyclones, strong surges, tsunamis and other natural calamities impacting the coast and deltaic region, mangroves support a healthy and productive ecosystem that benefits not only our communities, but biodiversity as well.  

As part of its ongoing efforts for environmental conservation, FCEPL has been driving tree plantation in and around its facilities and partner farms in Sukkur and Sahiwal. By training the farmers on energy and water conservation, helping them switch to solar power at farms, and encouraging them to plant trees at their premises, FCEPL continues to seed environmental considerations amongst the farmers of Pakistan.

Karachi (Muhammad Yasir) On an exciting Sunday morning, nine Pakistani athletes participated in the London Marathon to fundraise for The Citizens Foundation (TCF) Flood Relief Appeal.

A large number of London Marathon runners raise money and awareness for a particular charity each year. The nine runners that backed the TCF Flood Relief Appeal include Adnan Gandhi, Kaukab Sarwar, Hira Diwan, Muhammad Affan, Nadir Shera, Shanzé Shah, Fahd Mukhtar, Salman Khan, and Ahmed Mustafa Khan. All runners were spotted wearing TCF t-shirts during the race.

The TCF team finished the race in less than 6 hours. Together, these socially responsible London Marathon participants were able to raise over PKR 2 Million from supporters globally for the TCF Flood Relief Appeal.

The TCF Flood Relief Appeal aims to provide 5 million meals and assist in the reconstruction of 9000 homes for flood-affected families in Pakistan once the flood waters recede. TCF is assisting communities in several ways to help stop school dropouts. After the floods, many communities have become displaced and lost their source of income, making it likely that the number of out-of-school children in Pakistan will increase. Others can join the cause and support TCF in its mission to support flood-affected communities by donating to the TCF Flood Relief Appeal.

NIC Karachi and The Asia Foundation launch the ‘Impact Collective’ initiative to address the most pressing climate crisis issues in Pakistan

Karachi (Muhammad Yasir) the National Incubation Center Karachi, in collaboration with The Asia Foundation, launched the ‘Impact Collective’. The initiative is a consortium of organizations committed to initiating research and technology-driven dialogue to address the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) issues in Pakistan.

This consortium has brought together academia, think tanks, entrepreneur support organizations, and civil society organizations to discuss and solve the most pressing issues related to climate change and its adverse effects on the environment and society. The purpose of the consortium is to integrate and generate solutions that will have a lasting impact on ecological peace in Pakistan.

In the upcoming months, The Asia Foundation will award research grants to three members of the Impact Collective to conduct research on the environmental crisis that the country is currently facing. This research will guide the legislators, policymakers, public administrators, civil society activists, and ESG, sustainability, and CSR departments of corporate entities to develop policies and solutions to address the impending climate crisis that Pakistan is currently facing.

Atif Rais Khan, CEO, LMKT, while appreciating the strategic partnership between LMKT and The Asia Foundation, said that, “Climate change and its resulting calamities are a reality for the world in general and Pakistan in particular. It is the duty of every citizen, corporation, and innovation-driven enterprise to step up and help humanity get through these difficult times. Impact Collective is an effort to help build better processes and solutions to manage and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change in Pakistan as well as other developing nations.”

In his opening statement, Omar Abedin, Director of NIC Karachi, said that “Humanity is capable of achieving great feats. In the last few centuries, we have achieved feats that were considered impossible to achieve, and we can reverse and restore climate change too. We have the technology, the data, and the tools. What we need is the will and the mindset. I am hopeful that the impact pool will embed that will among the policymakers and citizens of Pakistan. “

While explaining the purpose of establishing the Impact Collective, Haris Qayyum Khan, Director Strategy & Operations, Asia Foundation, said that, “Even though Pakistan contributes less than 1% of the global greenhouse gases that warm our planet, its geography makes it extremely vulnerable to climate change. The country cannot change its geographical location, but it can develop policies, systems, and mindsets to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change. We can accomplish this by conducting research and developing innovative solutions based on the findings of indigenous studies.”

The event called for a panel of experts that discussed the importance of research and technology in the fight against climate change and how initiative like the Impact Collective can empower academic institutions in researching climate change on a grassroots level. The panel consisted of Durlabh Ashok (Climate Advocate), Afia Salam (Climate Activist], Dr. Noman Ahmad (Dean Architecture & Management Sciences NED University), Farva Minhas (Program Coordinator, The Asia Foundation). The Asia Foundation also launched an app to engage, educate, and mobilize the masses to take action on addressing the climate crisis. This app will serve as a platform to disseminate information and insights about climate change and will also help climate activists organize and coordinate their activities. 

The event also hosted three social entrepreneurs who are building climate resilience by implementing disruptive solutions. In their keynote speeches Emaan Danish, Founder – Earth Warriorz, Shahzad Qureshi, Founder – Urban Forest Initiative, and Ahmad Shabbar, Founder – Garbage CAN, stressed on the urgency and importance of climate change, they urged the startup ecosystem to embed Environment Social and Governance framework in their bottom line to ensure the climate change is halted and reversed in time.

As a testament to LMKT’s commitment to the livelihood and economic rehabilitation and restoration of the flood affectees across Pakistan, Project Director NICK offered a donation of PKR 1 Million on behalf of LMKT to The Citizen’s Foundation at the event’s conclusion.

 

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) The speakers including politicians, renowned media personalities and policymakers on called for effective measures to do away with fake news phenomenon and legislation to handle the unbridled media content as well as social media. At a seminar on “Role of PFUJ in Ensuring Press Freedom, Discouraging Fake News & Implementing Media Laws” it was resolved not to tolerate any restrictions on freedoms of media as well as the practice of rendering the news anchors off-air. Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, International Federation of Journalists and Center for Democracy and Climate Studies organized the event. The PFUJ leadership asked the government to approach them along with the evidences in case any institution had any complaint against any news anchor. They also called for equal air time to all all the political parties putting aside the personal biases, in true spirit of the journalistic principles. Moderated by prominent anchorperson Fareed Rais, the seminar was addressed by Punjab Senior Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal, Advisor to Punjab Chief Minister Omar Sarfaraz Cheema, Jamat-e-Islami Secretary General Liaquat Baloch, Shehzad Cheema of Pakistan Peoples Party, Lahore Press Club President Azeem Chaudhry, Executive Editor of Dunya News Salman Ghani, Anchorperson Habib Akram and other renowned figures.

The speakers called for true implementation of Article 19 of the Constitution which says, “Every citizen shall have the right to freedom of speech and expression, and there shall be freedom of the press, subject to any reasonable restrictions imposed by law in the interest of the glory of Islam or the integrity, security or defence of Pakistan or any part thereof, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, decency or morality, or in relation to contempt of court, [commission of] or incitement to an offence. Similarly, they said the enforcement of the Article 19A of the Constitution was also equally important which says, “The right to information (RTI) is the fundamental right of citizens, allowing them to access information from government and private bodies that receive public funds. RTI is based on the principle that information belongs to the people and public officials are only the custodians of the information.” PFUJ Secretary General Rana Azeem, in his welcome remarks, said the social media had led to the unbridled media which necessitated the proper legislation by the government to ensure its productive use instead of the political victimization.

In his address, Senior Minister of Punjab Mian Aslam Iqbal said the media owners toe their own agenda which was against the journalistic principles. He said media was responsible to highlight real public issues instead of mere serving the interests of the elite class. He said a convicted person, who was supposed to be behind bars, was enjoying his stay in London because the country’s institutions accepted the guarantee of a person in the case who himself was accused in different corruption cases. He said a culture of baseless reporting must be done away with and the concept of real freedom could never be achieved without curbing the policy of state within state. He said the press freedom was meant to differentiate between the right and wrong as mudslinging, character assassination or agenda-setting had nothing to do with journalism . The senior minister said the government would do its utmost to provide housing facility to the journalist community in Rawalpindi as well as Lahore. He said the government banned the live coverage of Imran Khan’s speech while allowing to broadcast the virtual address of a convicted individual from abroad. He said Imran Khan created awareness among the masses for their rights and also challenged the status quo.

Referring to Imran Khan’s recent visit to the Government College University of Lahore, he said the elite made an unnecessary uproar and instead the PTI chief would be visiting more such institutions in the future to acquaint the youth with real political situation. He said the country had almost touched the default stage and the yesterday’s decision had undermined the people’s morale, referring to Maryam Nawaz’s acquittal by the court in Avenfield Reference. Advisor to Punjab Chief Minister on Information Omar Sarfaraz Cheema said PTI’s main agenda was to liberate the Pakistani society from the oppression of elitist mindset for which the media also played a supportive role as an influencer and opinion maker. He said except some issues, the PTI government never gagged media. He said PTI chief Imran Khan always stood up for media’s rights as both his party and media were pursuing a common agenda of societal reformation. Cheema said just like any other institution, the media also suffered deterioration as it was used to target political adversaries as well as states.