KARACHI: Highlighting the critical intersection between extreme weather events and public mental health, speakers at a seminar on Wednesday said that given Pakistan’s high vulnerability to climate change, the government should allocate at least three to four per cent of its annual GDP towards climate emergency.

The event — Climate Change: A Global Crisis, Challenges, Impact, and Sustainable Solutions — was organised by the Sindh Mental Health Authority (SMHA) in collaboration with the Institute of Clinical Psychology (ICP), at Karachi University (KU).

Speaking as the chief guest, SMHA Chairman Senator Dr Karim Ahmed Khawaja explained how environmental degradation affected public mental health. He pointed out the prevalence of mental health illnesses had increased in the country that had been increasingly experiencing extreme weather events for the past many years.

He also underscored the need for collaboration among countries and stronger global commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement to address the urgent challenges of climate change.

The Pakistan government, he stressed, should allocate three to four per cent of its annual GDP budget specifically towards climate action, bringing it on par with essential national priorities such as healthcare and education.

“Pakistan must make a transition from a security state to a welfare state to fulfil the vision and struggle of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah,” Dr Khawaja remarked.

The seminar featured insightful presentations from prominent experts across various fields, including Naimatullah Soho, Director General, National Institute of Oceanography; Dr M. Farrukh Nawaz, Director, Institute of Environmental Studies; KU, Dr Nargis Asad, chairperson, Department of Psychiatry, Aga Khan University; public health consultant Dr Shukria Kiran and senior environmentalist Nasir Ali Panhwar.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2026