Pakistan Needs Global Help to Combat Climate Change: PM Tells ITUC
APP
Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday underscored the urgent need for special financial assistance from international financial institutions to help Pakistan and other climate-vulnerable countries cope with the escalating impacts of climate change.
Speaking during a meeting with Luc Triangle, Secretary General of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), at the Prime Minister House, the premier said Pakistan remains among the countries most severely affected by climate change. He recalled that the devastating 2022 floods alone resulted in economic losses of over $30 billion.
The prime minister highlighted that these climate-induced disasters have adversely affected the country’s workforce, with many laborers facing job losses and financial hardships.
He emphasized the government’s commitment to ensuring that climate adaptation and mitigation strategies, especially in vulnerable communities, also safeguard the livelihoods of economically disadvantaged groups.
Appreciating the ITUC’s global efforts for the protection of workers’ rights, PM Shehbaz said Pakistan is actively collaborating with the International Labour Organization (ILO) to enhance labor protections and improve working conditions across the country.
He further informed the delegation that the government is expanding the reach of the Employees Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) and the Workers Welfare Fund to extend benefits to a larger number of workers.
The prime minister also mentioned that the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) at the federal level, along with provincial vocational institutes, are conducting various training programs to equip youth with market-relevant skills, thereby enhancing employment opportunities.
ITUC Secretary General Luc Triangle praised Pakistan’s commitment to democratic principles and acknowledged the government’s initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of workers and laborers.
The meeting was also attended by ITUC Asia-Pacific Regional Secretary Shoya Yoshida, federal ministers Azam Nazeer Tarar, Ahad Khan Cheema, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Minister of State Aun Chaudhry, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi, and other senior officials.
