Children are our greatest allies in creating sustainable future: Sindh CM

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has stated that children and youth are not only the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change but also “our greatest allies in creating a sustainable future”.

He was speaking at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan. During his first official engagement, the Sindh chief minister participated in an event hosted by Unicef at the Pakistan Pavilion, where he signed a ground-breaking declaration focused on children, youth and advocacy in climate action.

The initiative focuses Sindh government’s commitment to implementing climate-smart policies that prioritise the needs of future generations.

Speaking at the event, Murad emphasized that Sindh is dedicated to fostering resilience through inclusive, child-centred climate strategies.

The declaration outlined actionable commitments like developing climate-resilient education systems, investing in youth-led advocacy and innovation for climate solutions and promoting disaster preparedness and recovery initiatives focused on children and families.

Murad Ali Shah said that Sindh had faced significant climate challenges in recent years, including devastating floods and rising temperatures. As a result, it was at the forefront of Pakistan’s efforts to combat climate change. He said that the COP 29 event had provided him with a platform to showcase the Sindh government’s success stories, such as community-based adaptation projects and partnerships with international organisations aimed at enhancing climate resilience.

The CM said: “In my home province of Sindh, Pakistan, we have felt the devastating impacts of climate change firsthand. The catastrophic floods of 2022 affected millions, displacing communities, destroying homes, and disrupting lives. The UN secretary general visited Sindh and personally witnessed this monsoon flood of biblical proportions and described it as ‘a monsoon on steroids’. More than 2 million houses were either completely washed away or partially damaged.

“The Sindh government under the directions of Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari decided to re-build houses for the flood affectees. No government in the Pakistan had rebuild houses destroyed or damaged by floods in the past. The damage was of such a proportion that rehabilitation would mean undertaking the largest housing project in the world to-date.

The chief minister said out of this tragedy arose a new vision, a commitment to build back with resilience, inclusivity, and empowerment. “The Government of Sindh decided to undertake this gigantic task through a special purpose fully provincial government-owned company SPHF -- the Sindh People’s Housing for Flood Affectees. The SPHF stands as the world’s largest housing initiative.

“This call to action, along with the passionate appeal delivered by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari at the International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan in Geneva in January 2023, mobilised global support. It led the Government of Sindh, with an initial investment of $227 million and backing of $500 million from the World Bank, to launch the SPHF.”

He said: “This initial funding, while significant, was not enough to achieve our target of 2.1 million houses. However, we were confident in our ability to structure and implement this programme in a way that would attract additional resources. Today, we have successfully secured the full $2 billion required, with funding contributions led by the World Bank totaling $900 million—comprising an initial $500 million and an additional $400 million. This is complemented by $400 million from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), $200 million from the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), and $227 million contributed by the Government of Sindh, along with further financing.

“We achieved this through robust partnerships with the private sector, engagement with top-tier organisations, and a relentless focus on transparency and innovative technology. By leveraging public-private partnerships, we brought in the best implementing partners, technology firms, feedback mechanisms, and experts in environmental and social safeguards. Our approach to SPHF is rooted in a solid, structured framework.”

Murad Ali Shah said the SPHF has surpassed another major milestone: we have completed the disbursement to 810,000 beneficiaries, exceeding the number of beneficiaries in Nepal post-2015 earthquake. Over 1,000,000 bank accounts have been opened, 500,000 homes have reached post-plinth completion, and 300,000 houses have been fully completed. 800,000 women are part of this transformative programme, 99 percent of whom had never even set foot in a bank before.

“In the first phase of our Wash initiative, we will connect 3,000 villages and 264,000 households to Wash facilities, ensuring that 1.5 million people gain access to clean water and proper sanitation. In recognition of the UN secretary-general’s exemplary leadership and the instrumental role he has played in supporting Pakistan, particularly Sindh, through these challenging times, I am honored to announce the renaming of the village Ashraf Dars in District Sanghar, Sindh, as Antonio Guterres Village. The village will be transformed into model settlement, symbolising your enduring commitment to climate resilience and global solidarity.”

He called upon the global community to continue its support in the creation of 60,000 climate-resilient settlements in Sindh.

Meanwhile, the Sindh CM expressed his sorrow and grief over the death of senior politician Senator Ilyas Ahmad Bilour. He further condemned the terrorist attack on security forces at the Shah Mardan check-post, Kalat. “Pakistan stands shoulder to shoulder with our martyrs,” he said. “My heart goes out to the families of the martyrs and injured.”