Pakistan among countries worst hit by climate change

Islamabad: Pakistan is among 10 countries that have been affected the most by climate change.

This was stated by the climate change secretary during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change. The committee met here on Wednesday with Senator Sitara Ayaz in the chair to review the implementation of climate change ministry's initiatives during the last five years.

The secretary presented the report of adverse effects of global warming and its impacts in the country and the CDA report on Margalla Hills fires. He said a case had been registered with the Kohsar police against unidentified people for causing fire on the complaint lodged by the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board.

The FIR stated that the board managed to foil the previous attempt to set fire to the hills, but two people on a motorcycle set fire to a park near Talhar Morr on Daman-e-Koh Road. The board said the main suspects were from timber mafia and hunters.

It said the fire-fighters were hired by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) during this period, and it had been decided that locals would now be hired as fire-fighters, as they know the hills and routes, instead of relying on political appointees.

Meanwhile, environmental activists and Islamabad residents protested the frequent fires in the Margalla Hills National Park. They alleged that the fires did have natural causes and expressed disappointment that the authorities had not made any moves for nearly a week after the fire broke out. The protesters shouted slogans against the mayor and criticised him for remaining unmoved in the face of the fire.