World News | India and Pakistan should work together to tackle climate change: Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal

WASHINGTON, Sept. 29 (PTI) It is time for India and Pakistan to cooperate on climate change, Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said on Thursday, stressing the impact of global warming, The impact has caused unprecedented flooding in the country.

Bilawal is participating in a series of bilateral meetings in Washington, D.C.

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He told a group of Pakistani media that “it is time for India and Pakistan to cooperate on climate change” given his country’s woes due to floods.

“One third of our country is underwater. One in seven people (affected by floods). If we say tackling climate change, the US and China should work together. (We) should consider India and Pakistan in climate change cooperation on issues,” Bilawal said.

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Scientists and experts attribute this catastrophic situation in Pakistan to melting glaciers caused by climate change. The United States announced a massive $66 million humanitarian aid package for the Pakistani people.

Responding to another question on UN Security Council reform, Bilawal reiterated Pakistan’s stance against India’s bid to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

He said Pakistan favors abolishing the UN Security Council’s veto power.

Referring to neighboring India, Bhutto said “we don’t have that reciprocal partner there”.

“For a variety of reasons, we were not able to engage (with India) in 2018-19,” he said, adding that if the two countries could cooperate in any one area, it would be climate change.

“Because, what we’ve been through, I don’t want this to happen to my worst enemy,” he said.

Floods have killed more than 1,600 people in Pakistan and displaced more than 33 million.

Floods have submerged a third of the country and caused an estimated $30 billion in damage.

India-Pakistan relations are strained over Kashmir and cross-border terrorism from Pakistan. In India, Article 370 of the constitution was repealed, the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was revoked and the country was divided into two federal territories on August 5, 2019.

Following India’s decision, Pakistan downgraded diplomatic relations with New Delhi and expelled the Indian envoy. Trade relations between Pakistan and India have been largely frozen since then. PTI LKJ

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