Standing Committee Slams CDA No-Show at Climate Governance Meeting
News Desk
Islamabad: The Standing Committee on Climate Change on Tuesday voiced strong reservations over the absence of key Capital Development Authority (CDA) officials from a crucial meeting, emphasizing that their presence is essential for effective urban environmental management and accountability.
The meeting, chaired by Munaza Hassan, focused on operational and enforcement challenges in climate governance and reviewed inter-agency coordination, training, and implementation measures.
A key issue raised during the session was the absence of both the CDA Chairman and the Member (Environment) from the scheduled briefing on the authority’s waste disposal and solid waste management strategies.
As a result, the briefing was deferred, with explicit instructions for both officials to attend the next meeting. The committee stressed the importance of representation in decision-making forums to address Islamabad’s growing environmental concerns effectively.
The meeting also revisited recommendations concerning the Climate Resilient Urban Human Settlements Unit, questioning the criteria for selecting trainees and highlighting concerns about geographic representation from regions such as Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Balochistan, and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
Other discussions centered on climate adaptation efforts, including rainwater harvesting initiatives in Karachi and glacier preservation strategies. The committee also deliberated on Pakistan’s role in global environmental observances like World Forest Day.
The Inspector General of Motorway briefed the committee on anti-burning enforcement measures, reporting that 17 FIRs had been registered and over 53,957 farmers educated on the issue.
However, the committee noted that enforcement powers regarding stubble burning within fenced areas remained with provincial authorities, posing a challenge to effective implementation.
Additionally, the judicial water and environmental commission has received 173 reported cases, prompting calls for stronger inter-agency collaboration to ensure penalties are consistently enforced.
Further discussions highlighted delays in recruiting experts for the Integrated Waste Management Board (IWMB) and concerns over urban renovation readiness, particularly in areas vacated by restaurants.
The status of the Pakistan Climate Change Authority and persistent water issues, including challenges linked to the Recharge Pakistan project, were also reviewed.
The committee announced plans for a dedicated session on water-related challenges in the next meeting, underlining the urgency of addressing climate adaptation measures in Pakistan’s urban centers.
