ISLAMABAD: Presi­d­ent Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday stressed the need for stronger cooperation with the Commonwealth in the fields of climate change, education, parliamentary exchanges and disaster preparedness.

The president expres­sed these views in a meeting with a Commonwealth delegation led by its secretary-general, Patricia Sco­tland, at Aiwan-i-Sadr.

The two sides exchan­ged views on the conseq­u­ences of climate change for Pakistan, with Pre­sident Zardari highlighting the damages suffered due to the impact of erratic weather patterns.

He said the Sindh government had started building two million flood-resilient houses damaged during the floods of 2022. He said over two million mangroves have been pla­nted in Sindh to tackle climate change effects.

Ms Scotland said Pakistan was facing grave challenges due to climate change and was among the countries most vulnerable to its consequences.

She highlighted the Commonwealth’s robust engagement with Pakistan and expressed her gratitude for the country’s continuous support for the organisation’s work.

The president appreciated Ms Scotland’s advocacy for Pakistan’s vulnerability due to climate cha­nge, especially in the aft­ermath of the 2022 floods.

He also called for enh­a­nced interactions among parliamentary bodies, particul­arly yo­­­uth leaders and stude­n­­ts, to stren­gthen and promote friendship with Com­monwealth member states.

Published in Dawn, July 31st, 2024