ISLAMABAD - Former Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Thursday urged the United Nations to introduce international laws to protect the mother earth from further degradation.
The Pakistan People’s Party leader was delivering an address as chief guest at a Webinar on “Restore Our Earth” on the occasion of Earth Day organised by Youth Council Pakistan which was attended by a large number of young environmental activists, diplomats, scientists and participants from across the globe.
Rehman Malik said, “Allah Almighty has made mankind superior in all creation and the significance of the earth lies in the fact that Allah placed His superior creatures on the earth, and for him, every kind of food and water come from the earth.”
He said that mankind had the responsibility to ensure safe custody of the environment but we failed to do so. He said that for him it was not earth day but it was our mother’s day.
He said that Earth Day was a reminder of our responsibility to undertake concerted efforts to protect the earth from further deterioration as caused by the merciless manipulation of the ecosystem and misbalancing forces of nature. He said the theme of earth day for this year “Restore Our Earth” highlighted the adverse impacts we had caused to our earth and we needed to restore it to its original shape.
He said that the effects of global warming were already bringing harm to human beings, plants, and animals adding further temperature rise would have devastating impacts. He said that in the long run of industrialisation, we have forgotten to protect our mother nature.
He questioned if there could be international laws against criminal activities like money laundering, etc why there could not be stringent laws for protecting the environment. He said that United Nations should bring necessary legislation to protect the earth.
The former interior minister said: “Each year, more than one billion people from the globe participate in Earth Day-related activities but the question arises as to what practically we are doing to protect the planet from further degradation.” He said that mother earth had paid a very high price for our greed for greater prosperity and socio-economic development.
Senator Rehman Malik urged that we all needed to join hands to meet the challenges arising out of climatic variations and protect the environment from further degradation.
He said that the government of Pakistan should devise policies and plans, among others, for disaster management, environmental protection, protection of forests and wildlife, to tackle the rising challenge of environmental degradation.
He said, “I am confident that healthy activities on Earth Day like organising this conference will enhance awareness about environmental degradation and sensitise everyone to take practical steps for achieving ecological balance.”
He emphasised that on Earth Day, let us reaffirm our pledge towards creating a better planet for our future generations and let us show our resolve to work together to ‘Restore our Earth’. He said that we needed to increase green cover and protect biodiversity in the country so let every citizen of Pakistan plant at least one tree yearly.
Rehman Malik said few simple things every citizen could do to help in the protection of our mother earth. He said those include educating the people about their responsibilities, conserve the water, clean up the surrounding, use long-lasting light bulbs, plant maximum trees, don’t send chemicals into our waterways, choose non-toxic chemicals in the home and offices, and bike more while driving less.
He highly appreciated Muhammad Shehzad Khan, Maria Jadoon, Assad Khan, Arsalan Khan, Muntaha Talat and Suleman of Pakistan Youth Council for organising an impressive event on such important topic “Restore Our Earth”. He said that he was with Youth Council Pakistan and would support in every aspect.
