MIRPUR (AJK)-The AJK Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Islamic Relief Pakistan (IRP), a renowned NGO, Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to work jointly for safeguarding the environment in the state and create awareness for sustainable development.
The MoU signing ceremony was convened by the Planning and Development Department of Azad Jammu & Kashmir government.
AJK EPA Director General Raja Muhammad Razza and IRP country representative Ghulam Raza Narejo signed the MoU.
Speaking on the occasion, Raja Razzaq appreciated the highest approach of the IRP to serve the cause of nature and nature based resources for protection of the rights of future generations.
“This is high time that civil society and NGOs should join hands and rise up to support the government for the protection and conservation of our pristine environment”, he underlined.
He particularly, focused on the unchecked use of non-degradable plastic bags that have become a serious threat to human health as well as territorial and aquatic biodiversity.
The EPA DG said that the AJK govt is taking tangible measures to reduce the impact of climate change, underscoring that despite negligible contribution, Pakistan in terms of vulnerability is amongst top ten countries. “Therefore, we have to take swift measures for mitigation as well as adaptation.”
Speaking at the ceremony, IRP representative Ghulam Raza Narejo said that since clean environment is the common and collective cause, his organization will be striving hard to create awareness through debates and research work.
Narejo also highlighted that since anthropogenic activities are the major cause of environmental degradation, the IRP in consultation with EPA, will devise a comprehensive strategy for taking tangible measures to safeguard nature and nature based resources.