He said the best way to involve the people in tackling climate change issues was to develop incentive based policies that attract private entrepreneur and general public.

The briefing was given by Dr. Ishfaq Ahmad, Chairman of the Task Force on Climate Change and Advisor Science and Technology.

It was attended by Kamal Majidullah, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Water Resources and senior officers and federal secretaries of related ministries.

The President said that climate change was one of those global issues for the tackling of which international assistance was readily available.

He called for identifying the sources of international funding and cooperation to assist the government in areas such as efficient energy mix, increasing yield per acre and optimizing the use of water.

The President said that developing countries like Pakistan would pay a heavy price tomorrow for inaction today.

Problems cannot be avoided by delaying decisions as it only creates crises, the President added.

President Zardari also called for studies to determine the most efficient, economical and environmentally clean energy mix for Pakistan.

He said that studies carried out in the past in these areas should be examined and implemented wherever practicable.

The President also called for following up on the Environmental Protection Act that was passed by the Parliament about 15 years ago, he said.

He said that a strategy should also be devised for educating public opinion in the climate change and environmental issues to help implement the decisions made in these areas.

He said that climate change and degradation of environment was not only a challenge but also an opportunity and advised the government to explore the opportunities it offered.

He said that climate change and environmental issues had occupied international centre stage because they pose major development challenges that call for concerted action.

The President said that although the global climate change had been a cause of concern for the past several decades but more recently it had drawn attention of world governments, politicians, scientists and economists.

President Zardari said the issue of climate change had created new challenges in energy efficiency, renewable energy, water use, afforestation, agricultural improvement, power generation and even disaster management.

The President also said that such meetings should be held regularly to review what has been done, what requires to be done and what more can be done.

He also suggested to search for models in other countries that can be emulated in Pakistan.

He particularly identified water scarcity, land use and minimizing damage to environment as the areas where Pakistan can seek and adopt models from other countries.

Earlier Dr. Ishfaq Ahmed in his briefing explained that 8 working groups had been formed with 40 subject specialists on climatology, water, agriculture, energy, international cooperation for financial and technical support, economies, communication and awareness raising.

He said that most serious challenges for Pakistan due to climate change were the threats to its water security and food security.

Other challenges identified was increased health risks, increase in deforestation, risks to fragile marine and loss of biodiversity.

The Chairman of the Task Force recommended that Pakistan should devise and implement a National Policy and Plan of Action on Climate Change, with Ministry of Environment as the focal point for coordinating these activities.

He also recommended setting up of a National Council on Climate Change to oversee the efforts in all climate change related areas.

Rana Farooq Saeed Khan, Federal Minister for Textile Industry said this while  addressing a gathering of traders, businessmen, industrialists and textile exporters in Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) here Sunday.
He termed textile as backbone of national economy and said that textile and Faisalabad are interdependent on each other. “Textile Ministry has been given to me as I belong to the city of textile” he said and assured that

he would try his best to develop textile industry on modern scientific lines in consultation with all stakeholders.
He said that textile sector was contributing a major share in foreign exchange earnings. However, there was still room to further increase its share, he added.

About prevailing energy crisis, he said that government was fully alive to it and serous efforts are being made to resolve this issue at the earliest. He said that a high level meeting has been convened at Islamabad on January 06 to discuss and resolve the burning issue of gas and electricity. “We would take appropriate decisions”, he said and assured that these decisions would also be implemented in its total earnest.

He also quoted his meeting with textile owners on December 26 last and said that most of the issues were settled in it. But riots erupted in the absence of credible links between him and textile sector. “All this happened at a time when situation was witnessing a positive improvement”, he lamented.

He said that government believes that textile is the major sector that could give immediate support to the national economy. He said that government was going to donor agencies to get only 4‑5 billion dollars.

“I assure government that textile sector alone could generate an additional income of 10‑20 billion dollars if complete infrastructure facilities were provided to the textile sector”, he said and added that he is striving hard for the revival of textile sector and in this connection Nishatabad Powerhouse has been put into operation to end  unscheduled load shedding of electricity.

He said that meeting of January 06 is exclusively dedicated to the issue of gas and electricity. “We would not only take appropriate decisions but also ensure 100% implementation of these decisions”, he asserted.

Federal Minister for Textile Industry Rana Farooq said that issues relating to the resolution of R&D (Research and Development), decrease in Banks’ markup and access to various international markets for Pakistan textile products are also in the pipeline and would be resolved without any further delay. He said that a representative of the business community would also be inducted in the Body of Directors (BODs) of FESCO (Faisalabad Electric Supply Company) to streamline the issues pertaining to the load shedding of electricity.

He asked representative of textile related organizations to attend a high level meeting of January 06 and give their positive suggestions in resolving the prevailing issues.

Earlier Mian Hamid Javaid president FCCI in his address of welcome explained the problems being confronted by the textile industry and demanded additional quota of electricity and gas to cater to the needs of its industries.
Mian Javaid Iqbal former president FCCI also addressed the meeting while a memento of the chamber was presented to Rana Farooq Saeed to acknowledge his personal efforts to resolve the issues being faced by the textile industry.
Senior Punjab Minister Raja Riaz Ahmad, Mian Muhammad Latif former chairman FIEDMC , Mian Muhammad Yousuf chairman Pakistan Textile Exporters Association , Ch Salamat Ali vice chairman Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers Association North Zone, Sh Ashfaq Ahmad chairman Faisalabad Dry Port Trust , Mukhtar Ahmad Sheikh chairman Faisalabad Garments City Company ,

Kh Shahid Razzak Sikka president Anjuman Tajran City Faisalabad , Azhar Majeed Sheikh chief Police Citizen Liaison Committee also attended the meeting besides leading industrialists Rana Mushtaq Khan, Mian Zahid Aslam, Rehan Naseem Bharara, Ch Muhammad Siddique, Mian Muhammad Idrees, Sh Muhammad Saeed, Muhammad Ayub Sabir and Ch Maqsood Elahi.

Speaking at a round table discussion on “The impact of power shortage on national economy” FPCCI president Tanvir Ahmad Sheikh said the country is currently facing the worst power and gas crisis in memory, and that uninterrupted supply of power is a pre‑ requisite for country’s economic growth and development.

He said without reliable power supply there can be no production and no industry, and issues like fulfilling our international trade commitments will no longer matter.

He said industry and agriculture are vital national sectors requiring smooth electric and gas supply for development.

“In view of the power situation confronting the country today, construction of water reservoirs and dams is absolutely necessary to

meet water‑power shortage,” he said, adding that consensus on this should be obtained at the earliest if our economy is to survive.
He said that international experts and studies conducted here by international bodies such World Bank, after detailed research have identified certain sites feasible for a big dam from technical point of view.

Speaking on the occasion, Iftikhar Ali Malik co‑chairman Businessmen Panel in FPCCI said new dams are inevitable to meet the ever increasing demand for inexpensive energy sources, and will also help bring down the cost of everything including essential commodities.

“Big water reservoirs and dams are vital for country’s industrial progress and prosperity, as well as for a green revolution,” he said,

adding that we can get rid of power loadshedding and outages only if new dams are built on war footing.

New dams will also help reduce the frequency and severity of flood havoc in downstream of river Indus, especially in Sindh province, he added.