Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday called upon developed nations to help developing countries escape debt traps, which he said are exacerbated by climate change-related natural disasters.
“In 2022, we had the worst flooding in our history due to climate change, and that was not our fault. We do not contribute even a fraction of a percent in terms of carbon emissions,” Sharif said while addressing the SDG Moment 2024 Meeting on the sidelines of the 79th United Nations General Assembly Session.
Sharif stated that developed and wealthy countries are responsible for emissions and should therefore take responsibility for assisting developing nations. “This is very important, otherwise this unbalanced, and unjust unfair system will lead to nowhere,” he stressed.
He noted that Pakistan faced a loss of $30bn during the 2022 floods, but is still being asked to borrow money to repay loans. “This vicious circle of debt trap, what I call a ‘death trap,’ will not help at all the developing societies,” he said.
The Prime Minister also pointed out that developing countries like Pakistan face significant financial gaps in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and are struggling to raise funds.
He highlighted Pakistan’s experience with terrorism, stating that the country faced the worst form of terrorism after 9/11, resulting in the deaths of 80,000 Pakistanis. “Finally, we have been able to beat them (terrorists), but we lost $150bn in the process,” he added.
Sharif also highlighted his efforts to promote education, both as Chief Minister of Punjab and as Prime Minister. He highlighted the Punjab Endowment Education Fund (PEEF), which provides a voucher scheme for girls and boys to access education in remote areas.
“PEEF, probably the largest fund in South Asia, has benefited hundreds of thousands of children who were high achievers but came from very poor backgrounds,” he said. “It provided stipends to the students to get education wherever they wanted in the country or abroad.”
Sharif also mentioned the establishment of Danish Schools, which are solely for talented poor and orphaned children. These schools, equipped with modern facilities, have produced doctors, engineers, and scientists serving the country.
He added that his government has also implemented vocational training in education institutions and initiated a skilled development program.
However, Sharif lamented that there are still approximately 25 million children out of school in Pakistan. He stated that his government is working to enroll these children in education programs.
