Sardar Masood Khan calls for long-term US commitment to confront climate challenge
WASHINGTON, Oct 03 (SABAH): “Our shared challenges, most notably the erratic climate change, call for a long-term US commitment, being the leading super power, to enable developing countries like Pakistan cope with the challenges of climate induced calamities,” Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Sardar Muhammad Masood Khan has said.
“Recent devastations caused by unprecedented floods in Pakistan and Hurricane IAN in Florida and adjacent states has clearly demonstrated that no country was immune to the phenomenon of climate change.”
“We need to come together and act fast before it is too late,” said Pakistan’s top envoy.
Ambassador Masood Khan gave these remarks while addressing a congregation of Pakistani-American Press Association that was held to celebrate 75th anniversary of establishment of Pak-US diplomatic relations. The event was attended by a large number of Pak-American journalists, officials from the US State Department and prominent members of Pakistan diaspora, hailing from various parts of the United States.
Masood Khan highlighted the devastation wreaked by recent floods in Pakistan that has affected 33 million people including 16 million children and had inundated one third of the landmass. “It is a disaster within a disaster”, Masood Khan said while referring to the waterborne diseases that were fast spreading in areas covered under water.
Ambassador thanked the US government, Congress, private sector, philanthropists and many others who contributed in their individual capacity to show their solidarity with their Pakistani friends. He also lauded Pakistani American community for their generous support towards relief and rescue of the affected populace.
Sensitizing the audience about the huge challenge of reconstruction and rehabilitation, Masood Khan called for a long-term commitment of the United States with Pakistan to enable the country cope with the challenge. “We have been partner in peace. We have fought wars together. Now we need to confront this challenge together and transform crisis into an opportunity by building back better and greener,” observed Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States. “The future of Pak-US relation is bright,” Masood Khan observed.
Renowned scholar Ambassador Akbar Ahmed, Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies at American University and a Global Fellow of the Wilson Center, speaking on the occasion highlighted the need for the two communities to develop a better understanding of each other.
Alison Lapp, Disaster Operations Specialist at USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance, in her remarks reiterated that United States was committed to stand besides Pakistan at this difficult hour. Highlighting US assistance provided so far, she highlighted priority areas including agriculture, increasing crop productivity and building climate resilient infrastructure that could withstand any such calamity in future.
Khizr Khan, a prominent Pakistani who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom – the highest US civil award, highlighted common foundational values that bind Pakistan and the United States together.
Molly Stephenson, Director South and Central Asia Press and Public Diplomacy of the US State Department, speaking on the occasion highlighted various areas of cooperation between Pakistan and the United States including the contribution made by the United States in relief and rescue activities for the flood affectees, the existing cooperation in education sector, women empowerment and meeting the challenge of COVID pandemic. “Continuing our dialogue in various fields, we would deepen Pak-US relationship”, pledged Molly Stephenson.
The Ambassador also distributed various awards to prominent Pakistani-Americans including Khizr Khan, renowned artist Reema Khan and other for their achievements in their respective fields.
The Ambassador also felicitated the office bearers and members of Pakistani-American Press Association for organizing the event and highlighting the strengths of decades long Pak-US friendship. He said that Pak media in the United States was playing a critical role in bringing the two countries together and creating better understanding of each other’s perspective.