Hammad Naqi Khan (Environmentalist): I am not very optimistic about the outcomes of the International Conference on Resilient Pakistan. Immediately after the devastating floods, the UN Secretary General António Guterres visited Pakistan and personally witnessed the havoc caused by the floods. He urged the international community to come forward and support Pakistan in this hour of need. Unfortunately, only some governments provided aid to Pakistan and no notable contribution was received from the developed countries. The case of Pakistan is strong as we are the least contributor to the greenhouse carbon emissions yet most vulnerable to climate change. The international community and the international donors have to compensate for the sufferings of the developing countries, including Pakistan, as these countries are paying the price of industrialization of the developed economies.

Zulfikar Ali Bader (Spokesman, Foreign Minister): An International Conference on Resilient Pakistan is going to be held in Geneva that will be co-hosted by the Prime Minister of Pakistan and the UN Secretary General. The word climate justice was introduced by the Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. He is of the opinion that the developed countries responsible for the industrialization and carbon emissions are impacting the climate of the developing countries like Pakistan. Therefore, developing countries are seeking climate justice. The infrastructure, livestock, and crops in Pakistan were badly destroyed during the devastating floods of 2022. The Foreign Minister effectively advocated the case of flood victims in front of the world. Almost 144 countries including China, Russia and the United States supported the narrative of Pakistan. The Loss and Damage Fund was established for the vulnerable countries hit hard by climate disasters. The recent catastrophic floods in Pakistan have inflicted more than $30 billion in damages and economic losses and left 10 to 12 percent of the country’s land area under water, affecting more than 33 million people. I am hopeful that the developed countries and the donor agencies will support the developing countries.