LAHORE: Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Jr on Friday called for making environmental protection a national priority to address food shortages, warning that climate-related threats such as flooding and food insecurity pose serious risks to Pakistan’s future.
Speaking during the first session of ThinkFest 2026 at Lahore’s Alhamra Arts Council, Bhutto Jr highlighted the direct impact of environmental degradation on daily life, urging citizens to take practical steps such as household gardening to help mitigate food shortages.
He stressed that climate change and environmental neglect were no longer abstract concerns but immediate challenges affecting livelihoods across the country. Flooding and declining food security, he said, should be treated as long-term national threats rather than isolated incidents.
Bhutto Jr noted that human beings were inseparable from their environment, describing it as the foundation of collective survival. He said environmental damage had a direct effect on public health, economic stability, and social cohesion.
Referring to public reaction in Sindh, he said communities had shown strong emotional opposition to projects involving six canals, reflecting broader concerns that development initiatives often served elite interests rather than the wider population.
He further argued that environmental challenges, particularly in cities like Lahore, must be linked with economic planning to ensure sustainable development. According to Bhutto Jr, Pakistan continued to grapple with questions of identity, whether as a collection of diverse nations or a unified national entity.
Highlighting the cultural and historical significance of rivers, he described the Indus and Ravi as central to Pakistan’s identity, adding that environmental preservation should be embraced as a form of patriotism. He urged that environmental protection be celebrated as a national value.
ThinkFest 2026 is a three-day event bringing together national and international experts to discuss political, social, and global developments, with multiple sessions focusing on governance, climate change, and regional affairs.
