LHC forms climate change commission
LAHORE – Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah of the Lahore High Court on Wednesday constituted a ‘Climate Change Commission’ for the implementation of National Climate Change policy to fight the climate change – the biggest emerging threat to the country’s environment.
The commission would be headed by Advocate Dr Pervaiz Hasan and would start its working on Oct 1.
The commission would submit its primary report on Oct 5.
Justice Shah held that the commission shall have the power to co-opt any person/expert, at any stage.
The commission can seek assistance of any federal or provincial government ministries/departments in writing and the concerned ministries/departments have been directed to render full assistance to the Commission in respect of its Terms of References (ToRs).
The judge passed this order while hearing a petition filed by an agriculturist namely Asghar Ali seeking directions for the government to take effective steps to counter the biggest challenge of climate change.
The Commission will comprise Secretary Ministry of Climate Change, Secretary Ministry of Water and Power, Secretary Ministry of Finance Revenue and Planning and Development, Director General of National Disaster Management Authority, Director General of International Organization/ Climate Change at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Secretary Irrigation Department, Government of Punjab, Secretary Agricultural Department, Secretary Food Department, Secretary Forest Department, Secretary Health Department, Director Provincial Disaster Management Authority, Secretary Environment Protection Department, Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, CEO & National Program Director, LEAD Pakistan, Hamad Naqi, Director General WWF, Mahmood Akhtar Cheema, Manager Islamabad Program Office, IUCN, Abid Solehri CEO, SDPI, Advocate Saima Amin Khwaja, Assistant Advocate General Punjab Anwaar Hussain, Advocate Mansoor Usman Awan and Irfan Tariq, D.
G.
(Environment), Ministry of Climate Change, Islamabad.
The petitioner also quoted scientists, professional scientific organizations and experts who had declared climate change a real threat to the country’s future.
He also told the judge that climate change was badly affecting the country’s natural resources and subsequently the lives of the citizens but no serious effort had been made on the part of the government.
The petitioner further said that the country experienced devastating floods during the last three years.
He also stated that these changes came with far reaching consequences and real economic costs.
He prayed the court to order the government to implement National Climate Change Policy and its framework.
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