Federal Minister for Climate Change, Senator Sherry Rehman has said that the international community has commended Pakistan’s diplomatic leadership and efforts during COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh and the International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan in Geneva. In response to a question during the Senate’s session on the official visits of Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Minister Rehman said, “This is the first time in Pakistan’s history that a Foreign Minister is footing the bill for his expenses from his own pocket. Last year, we took a working delegation to COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, where Pakistan’s leadership as the Chair of G77+China was commended globally as we led from the front, and our diplomatic efforts led to the establishment of the Loss and Damage Fund. While the whole world is acknowledging Pakistan’s leadership at the diplomatic stage, it is clear to see that PTI can’t accept Pakistan’s success at a global level.” She further said, “PTI needs to stop criticizing the Foreign Minister for his official visits, and he has to do his job to take Pakistan out of the international isolation that the PTI had plunged the country into. Our delegations are not going on these visits for a vacation or self-seeking gains, but to present Pakistan’s case at the international stage. PTI is the one who needs to give answers as they were using these trips for trafficking jewelry and stealing from Toshakhana.” Minister Rehman highlighted that the success of the International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan in Geneva was a vote of confidence in the Government of Pakistan’s 4RF plan by the international community and development partners. “The pledges we have received in Geneva are for project and programme funding for Pakistan’s reconstruction, which was well above our expectations and showed trust of the international community in the efforts of the coalition government. The government invited representatives from Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Balochistan, which sent out a powerful and rare message of federal unity by the Government of Pakistan in a time of extreme political polarization. The provinces presented their plan for reconstruction during the plenary session that was chaired by the Foreign Minister. We decided to put public interest instead of partisan politics at the heart of our policies. While we are putting all our efforts in rebuilding the country, Imran Khan has been busy in creating a false narrative of hatred and division and has no concern about the 33 million flood victims. While speaking to the media, Minister Rehman said, “If the PTI wants to come back to the National Assembly and take a U-turn on their resignations, they are more than welcome to do so. Pakistan Peoples Party has never stopped anyone from using their democratic right, but it has to be according to the constitution.”
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