Islamabad: Speaker of the National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq called for enhanced parliamentary leadership and international cooperation to tackle the challenges of climate change during his address at the 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Cape Town. His speech was briefly interrupted by disruptions from the Indian delegation, leading to intervention from the Jamaican Speaker.

According to National Assembly of Pakistan, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq highlighted the critical need for fair financial support, democratic accountability, and sustained parliamentary engagement in climate adaptation efforts. He underscored the importance of public participation in formulating climate policies and the necessity for democratic institutions to oversee their implementation. The speaker also pointed out that Pakistan, severely impacted by climate change, requires climate justice and equitable financial support.

Sadiq’s address emphasized the role of parliaments in enacting climate legislation and ensuring that international climate finance remains under parliamentary oversight for transparency and effective resource utilization. He called for including women, youth, and diverse social segments in climate change discussions and urged Commonwealth parliaments to share best practices and innovative strategies for resilience building.

Sadiq concluded by stressing the importance of constructive parliamentary dialogue on global challenges, advocating for cooperation over conflict to address climate change.