WASHINGTON: Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Rizwan Saeed Sheikh has said that while Pakistan contributes minimally to global emissions, it is the most climate-vulnerable country by population exposure.
He was addressing an event hosted by the Islamic Circle of North America’s Helping Hand. The ambassador noted that recent natural disasters severely slowed Pakistan’s development.
Climate change is a global challenge requiring collective international action, just as terrorism once demanded joint global efforts, he added.
Sheikh lauded the Pakistani-American community for its role in humanitarian relief and urged greater support for flood-affected families. He welcomed Helping Hand’s pledge of $5 million (about Rs. 1.5 billion) for victims, expressing confidence the funds would reach those most in need.
He said immediate attention remains on relief operations but that long-term resettlement and reconstruction will also require diaspora engagement.
On regional cooperation, he stressed that Pakistan and India share climate challenges best addressed through dialogue, not hostility.
Helping Hand President Mohsin Ansari said the charity operates in 80 countries, with its Pakistan budget set to rise from $12 million to $17 million this year. He reaffirmed the organization’s mission to serve humanity and ease suffering.
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