Promises, promises
THE ongoing COP28 summit in the UAE is a crucial event in the global climate discourse, with significant implications for countries like Pakistan. The summit has seen a complex mix of diplomatic manoeuvring, fervent appeals for climate justice, and sharply divergent views on the future role of fossil fuels.
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar’s address yesterday emphasised Pakistan’s urgent need for “sufficient, additional, and predictable grant-based climate finance” from developed nations. Urging the immediate execution of the $100bn goal for climate finance, Mr Kakar said this should not exacerbate the debt burden of developing states. He stressed the need for a robust framework for global adaptation goals, with clear targets, indicators, and progress monitoring. He called for at least half of climate finance to be allocated to adaptation, reflecting the growing urgency for balanced climate action.
Mr Kakar also highlighted Pakistan’s proactive climate initiatives, and mentioned that at COP26 Pakistan committed to a 60pc reduction in projected emissions by 2030. He introduced the National Adaptation Plan and the Living Indus Initiative, showcasing Pakistan’s commitment to integrating climate considerations into national development plans.
The conference has been marked by major developments, notably the establishment of the Loss and Damage Fund to aid poorer countries in coping with climate disasters. Despite the fund’s initiation with $700m, it falls short of the $100bn sought by developing nations, highlighting the challenge in securing adequate financial support for those most affected by climate change.
COP28’s discussions on fossil fuels have been particularly contentious. UN Secretary General António Guterres’ call for a future without fossil fuels starkly contrasts with COP28 President Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber’s advocacy for their continued use. This discord underscores the complexities and political intricacies of the climate crisis, particularly in oil-producing regions like the UAE.
Moreover, geopolitical tensions, notably surrounding the situation in Gaza, played into the summit’s climate-focused agenda. Given the scale of the devastation there, several world leaders were compelled to diverge from the norm of avoiding politics at UN climate summits, using their platforms to criticise Israel’s actions in Gaza. This aspect adds another layer of complexity to the negotiations.
The decisions and discussions at COP28 will undoubtedly shape the global response to climate change and the fate of vulnerable countries like Pakistan. The summit must result in actionable commitments, not just in financial terms but also in technological and capacity-building support, to ensure an equitable path forward in the global climate effort.
The climate crisis transcends national borders and political agendas, demanding a unified, decisive response. As nations convene and deliberate, the world watches, hoping for outcomes that will chart a sustainable course for the planet’s future. For Pakistan, a nation at the front-line, the stakes could not be higher.
Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2023
PCB’s strange decision
THE Pakistan Cricket Board’s decision-making and the way it is being run has become a joke. A day after appointing the tainted Salman Butt as one of three consultants to chief selector Wahab Riaz, the PCB removed him, raising further questions behind the board’s thinking processes. The backlash faced by the Zaka Ashraf-led board was fierce. PCB’s former chairman Ramiz Raja called the appointment of the convicted spot fixer ‘insane’, while legendary pacer Sarfraz Nawaz said he was ‘shocked’. There were reports of external pressure to remove him too, notably a directive from the prime minister who is PCB’s patron in chief. Mr Butt deserved to be banished altogether from cricket, even if he underwent rehabilitation and served jail time. For his act, there should be no way back into the game, even if he can lead a normal life in society. Yet, PCB, continuing its recent trend of illogical decisions, opted on Friday to appoint Salman Butt, Kamran Akmal and Rao Iftikhar Anjum to assist Mr Riaz. It perhaps forgot that Mr Butt’s actions were no less than a betrayal of millions of Pakistanis who follow cricket avidly.
Salman Butt was the captain of the Pakistan cricket team — a side that has been led by some model figures including the great Imran Khan, Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq — when he masterminded the infamous spot-fixing scandal in 2010. It was he who convinced fast bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif to bowl no-balls at predetermined times in the Lord’s Test against England. As captain of the team, and the most educated of the trio, the blame rests chiefly with him. He was banned for 10 years by the International Cricket Council and served a prison sentence in the UK. On Saturday, 24 hours after Mr Butt was appointed, he was removed, with Mr Riaz saying there had been a lot of “undue criticism from media houses”. He said it was his decision to rope in Mr Butt, who he said, had completed his punishment. He called on people to ‘move on’. Perhaps the chief selector did not understand that it is not easy to do so, especially with the appointment of a man whose actions brought shame to Pakistan cricket and hurt the sentiments of many ardent fans. For that act, there can be no way back.
Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2023
Resettling Afghans
FOR two years now, since the Afghan Taliban took Kabul, thousands of Afghans in Pakistan who had worked for Western states are awaiting resettlement in third countries. The matter has been compounded by the government’s decision to send illegal Afghan residents in Pakistan back to their country. For those who had aided Western states in a military capacity, as well as individuals who worked for Western NGOs, the return would be risky — even though Kabul’s rulers claim they will grant amnesty to their compatriots who worked with foreign forces. For obvious reasons, most Afghans are not willing to believe the Taliban. Also reluctant to return are journalists, academics, musicians and others who feel they will not be safe in their motherland. The combination of Western lethargy and the crackdown has left many Afghans in this country apprehensive about their future, as most feel they cannot move about freely in Pakistan.
The sense of abandonment many Afghans feel is not new; countless South Vietnamese, as well as Iraqis, have been through the same experience, as Western states left them in the lurch when military misadventures backfired. For example, when Saigon ‘fell’ in 1975 — most Vietnamese remember it as liberation — the Americans rushed to evacuate citizens as well as South Vietnamese allies as fast as possible. While Washington did manage to help resettle around 140,000 loyalist Vietnamese, a far higher number became ‘boat people’ as they fled the new rulers of their homeland. Similarly, many Iraqis who had aided the American occupation felt that their erstwhile allies had abandoned them, and that their lives were in grave danger. The US, UK, Germany and other Western states that participated in the Afghan invasion have a duty to swiftly resettle all Afghans who helped them. The bureaucratic hitches holding up the process must be resolved so that these people can start rebuilding their lives.
Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2023