PESHAWAR: Speakers at a conference here on Monday stressed the need for making all out efforts to protect the country and its resources from the negative effects of the global warming.

They said that Pakistan was not contributing to the declining state of the global environment, but it was confronting the direct brunt of the climate changes, triggered by the dangerous policies of the industrially-developed countries that were responsible for emission carbon dioxide in the air.

The three-day national conference on `Thinking climate change adaptation in water and farming` was organised by Climate Change Centre, Agricultural University Peshawar.`Think-Adapt,2016`wasthetheme of the conference.

Nisar A Memon, chairman of Water and Environment Forum, was the chief guest while Dr Arjumand Nizami, country head of Inter-Cooperation, was also present on theoccasion.

Welcoming the participants, AUP Vicechancellor Dr Zahoor Ahmad Swati said that it was the maiden event organised by the centre, which was a new addition to the university. He said that climate change had become a challenge for the world. Dr Zahoor said that the changed weather cycle had started casting its effects on crops in the country. `Our farmers are already late in sowing the seasonal crop.

This state of af fairs is a bad omen for the farmers and the general people dependent on the farming sector,` he added.

Nisar A Memon said on the occasion water was lifeline of agriculture but Pakistan had so far could not succeed to store the flood water.

He said that eastern areas of the country were covered with glacial belt, which was the perennial source of the Indus River.

Mr Memon said that in 2005, the then government had brought all the chief ministers on one page to seek consensus on the construc-tion of dams. At that, he said, the government allocated a huge amount to protect the water reservoirs. He said water was directly linked to the security of the country.

Syed Nasir Mehmood, inspector general of forests, said that Pakistan was blessed with four seasons and varieties of fruits, crops and vegetables. `The monsoon makes a fifth season, which also results into some more crops, he added.

He said that ground water was the only source, which fulfilled irrigational requirements and government was making all out efforts to protect water sources to raise the level of ground water.

Dr Jawad Ali, former director of Climate Change Centre, said that the centre would cater to the future needs of the researchers, teachers and students trying to embrace adaptation. He said that Pakistan had only one option to go for adaptation because `we are victim of other`s blunders`. Bureau Report