ISLAMABAD - Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul on Thursday said the impact of air pollution or Smog in the capital of neighbouring country India would have effects on Lahore as ambiance has no borders and impacts everyone equally.

Addressing an awareness walk, as guest of honour, jointly organised by Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA), ICT Administration, CDA’s Directorate of Health, McDonalds and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-Pakistan), she said the awareness walk has stirred an aura of climate activism to commemorate the culmination of the 26th Conference of Parties (COP-26) being held at Glasgow, Scotland. 

Zartaj said that the COP was the world’s biggest platform where all the nations knew that Pakistan had no share in global warming but was the fifth most vulnerable due to Climate Change.  

“Pakistan is implementing all its commitments for environmental conservation from its own available limited resources whereas it only gave Rs 14 billion for 10 Billion Tree Tsunami project only for this year,” she underscored.   

She lambasted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for announcing its pledge of cutting GHG emissions by 2070, adding, “it is truly unrealistic as who will survive till then even he is not going to make it.”

Zartaj suggested that there should be a global tribunal that might question top 20 polluter countries on the compliance of their pledges committed at the forum of COP. 

Pakistan, she added that had made massive engagements in nature based interventions to protect ecosystems and avert harmful impacts of environmental degradation. 

She said, “We need to hammer on smog free Islamabad which is a tall commitment but not difficult to achieve and public support is imperative to keep that pledge.”

Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Commissioner ICT Hamza Shafqaat said the district administration had taken daunting tasks to protect the environment of the federal capital.  Around three years back, the ICT Zone-III was badly encroached in Margallas as from 6000 to 50,000 houses had intruded into the national park whereas 20,000 kanals land was recovered including main forest in Malpur where over 8,000 units were removed and massive plantation was made, he added.

Moreover, some 750-800 kanals land was retrieved from land grabbers to clear right of way at the banks of Rivers Sohan and Korang that were the only two rivers passing through the federal capital.

“There rivers were massively polluted where now wetlands are being created to protect ecology. The recent heavy rains brought flooding in the Capital and therefore all Nullahs are being lined and widened,” he informed.  

He underlined that public awareness, support, advocacy and activism was necessary to maintain and preserve the scenic green ambiance of the federal capital. 

Senior Director WWF Pakistan Rabnawaz said that climate change was all about biodiversity, water and food where the biodiversity played key role in mitigating climate change. 

“Businesses can play key role in educating masses for eco friendly practices and improve market chains on environment friendly lines,” he added.   DG EPA Farzana Altaf Shah said that Minister of State had always rendered great support and political representation for EPA’s efforts and interventions and it was appreciable. “We are celebrating the ending of COP-26 and our walk is symbolic to protect this city’s environment,” she added.

Shah announced the pledge on the occasion saying, “Let’s make Islamabad smog free and use less vehicles and go for car pooling .”

She urged the masses that EPA and stakeholders through concerted efforts had brought particulate matter 2.5 to 33 microgrammes and public support was required to maintain it.  

The media was also requested to highlight less car use for three months to reduce smog impacts in the metropolis, she added.