Pakistan seeks world assistance to cope with challenges

• Bilawal says Pakistan suffered a great deal owing to climate change. 
• Asks the world to help Pakistan cope with myriad challenges. 
• Says he condemns attack on Imran Khan. 

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said that Pakistan suffered a lot of damage, mainly because of massive flooding triggered by climate change this year. As the Pakistani government confronts a number of challenges, he appealed to the international community to cooperate with the country.

The world has to address the issues caused by climate change, the minister said, speaking to a US news channel on Monday.

It was the shared responsibility of the global community to find solutions to mitigate the effects of climate change, he added. Pakistan suffered the most devastating flooding this year, he said, adding that global climate change is a big challenge. Pakistan is among the countries affected by climate change, he said.

He said Pakistan contributed less than one percent of the global carbon footprint. However, it was the 8th most stressed country on the planet, which is an incredible injustice to the country, he stressed.

“We bear the brunt of the damages caused by climate change," he explained.

Following the flood, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visited Pakistan and appealed to the world for assistance to the flood victims, he said.

The foreign minister also mentioned the Ukraine war, saying that the Ukraine crisis had an effect on the economy of Pakistan. He emphasized that the Pakistani prime minister's trip to Russia had been misconstrued. 

"Pakistan, across the political divide,  has decided to stay neutral in this conflict. We don't want to be dragged into yet another conflict. We have so many devastating issues back home to deal with," he said.

It is irrelevant what went wrong in the Ukraine war, he said. As a result of the Ukraine war, Pakistan faces food security issues and increased fuel prices, he said. 

He said that he condemned the attempt on Imran Khan's life in unequivocal terms. "There absolutely needs to be a free, fair and impartial investigation that brings the facts forward," he said.

The foreign minister said that Pakistan has won the anti-terrorism war. A stable Afghanistan is essential for the security and progress of the entire region, he noted.

Bilawal said that it is a unanimous opinion that the Ukraine conflict should end so that the world can pay heed to existential threats to the human race - an issue that should unite everybody across the world so that the climate change could be tackled.