Growing incidents of forest fires that destroyed scores of forests in Pakistan’s northwestern region in the past weeks and the countrywide water crisis have left the government alarmed as millions of people to face the direct brunt of the effects of climate change.

“As Pakistanis, we stand at the forefront of a global environmental emergency…the biggest challenge of the 21st century" Sherry Rehman, the country’s federal minister for climate change, was quoted as saying by Express Tribune. The issue was not specific to Pakistan or South Asia alone but had global implications, the minister, who was addressing an event to mark World Environment Day, said.

The country, she said, is facing adverse and severe effects of climate crisis in the shape of extreme temperatures, severe drought, forest fires, drying rivers, and rapidly melting glaciers.

On Sunday, the authorities struggled to put down a raging forest fire in the Margalla Hill National Park, north of capital Islamabad. The government has also sought assistance from the Pakistan Army and Chinese experts to douse the fire.

Similarly, last month, over 26000 hectares of forest land in the Koh-e-Sulaiman Range, which is one of the largest fruit-bearing areas and home to over 10 million pine trees, were destroyed in forest fires. Several other forests in the northwestern region are facing the issue.

Meanwhile, the water crisis in several cities is becoming acute by the day. Karachi, the country’s most populous city, home to over 20 million people, is struggling the most to supply fresh drinking water.

Just when food insecurity is growing across the globe, extreme heat events and severe drought are also impacting the agriculture sector, further reducing domestic production. Furthermore, flash floods in the country’s northern parts are becoming more frequent now.

Addressing the event on Sunday, Rahman said Pakistan is the third most water-stressed country. 

“We have to adopt climate culture to deal with the climate crisis. A clean and healthy environment is possible only when every citizen fulfills his national and moral responsibility,” she said. 

(SAM)