Dr Muhammad Mumtaz

Pakistan has a population of over 224 million, with almost 50 % share of women, and mostly the population is settled in rural areas; these areas are highly prone to climate change.

The issue of climate change is being addressed on an ad hoc basis but it must be taken on a planned and permanent basis in view of the challenging nature of climate change.  

Urban planning is now a front-line response to climate change. To effectively manage climate change sustainable cities and transport, green buildings and resilient infrastructure must be ensured.

Dowries are a centuries-old tradition in South Asia where the Pakistani bride's parents give cash, jewelry, or clothes to the groom's family as part of the marriage. There are laws that limit dowries in the deeply religious, conservative country of some 220 million.

Transparent and merit-based appointment for the position is a test case for the government. This is one of the major appointments by PM Shehbaz Sharif since their coalition government took an oath on April 11, 2022.

Forest fires are a grave concern and need serious attention by the government to protect valuable forests and precious wildlife. These forest fires are devastating for our forests – burning trees and killing many species of birds and small animals every year.

The environmental crisis is a global challenge but developing countries are more at risk due to their high exposure to the negative impacts of climate change, low adaptive capabilities, lack of financing, weak institutional set-up and absence of political will among others.

Pakistan must step up its governance actions considering its climate change profile and its relations with the rising trajectory of droughts. Pakistan needs to establish its drought policy and mobilize its institutional response, particularly through local actions.