Scores of Pakistani celebrities joined the global climate march held on Friday 20th September making Pakistan count among the 120 countries to go on climate strike.
Millions of people thronged the streets and marched to raise awareness of the adverse impact of global warming on human lives globally. The march was held to urge big corporations and international humanitarian organizations to take up the issue and devise tangible solutions to remedy the emission of harmful chemicals and substance into the atmosphere, which is accelerating climate change.
Cultural activist Sheema Kirmani also joined the protest asserting that everyone should be involved in the event “because it (climate change) is going to affect us all”.
Pakistan is ranked the 6th most vulnerable country to be significantly affected by climate change despite being the country with the lowest contribution to global warming. The agendas of cleanliness and reforestation dominated Pakistan’s climate march. More than 26 cities and towns took part in the protests including Mardan, Mithi, Thatta, Kasur, Kotli, Chagai, Killa Abdullah, Peshawar, Chitral, Gilgit, etc.
In Karachi, protestors gathered at the Frere Hall at 4 pm. Artist and teacher Yasir Husain along with Zehra Zaidi of Karachi Citizen Lab started the event. Cultural activist Sheema Kirmani also joined the protest asserting that everyone should be involved in the event “because it (climate change) is going to affect us all”.
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Wasim Akram‘s wife, Shaniera Akram, also showed up at the protest, she has recently taken up the issue of cleanliness in Karachi. She is credited for waking up the authorities to clean Karachi beach after tonnes of hazardous medical waste was scattered on the beach.
Read more: France Climate change protests: Macron portraits removed from town halls
Other celebrities that showed up for the march include Usman Mukhtar, Nimra Bucha, Anoushey Ashraf, social activist Jibran Nasir, Shehzad Roy, Khalid Malik, Emaan Suleman, Adnan Malik. The celebrities appeared with their respective messages urging people to recognize their civic responsibilities of keeping the environment clean.
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Senator Sherry Rehman also issued a message on her Twitter account to mobilize people in Islamabad and throughout Pakistan for Climate March.
Great crowd at the #ClimateMarch in Islamabad. Hordes of young people out there to become climate volunteers and champions for climate change. Fabulous vibe, strong community mobilisation with demands for action. #Fridays4Future asks everyone to change habits and govts to move pic.twitter.com/91fszGhGNN
— SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) September 20, 2019
Thousands turn out for the Climate Action March in Pakistan's capital Islamabad pic.twitter.com/sIRzWATJcK
— omar r quraishi (@omar_quraishi) September 20, 2019
Minister of State Zartaj Gul (@zartajgulwazir) at the #ClimateMarchPakistan along with students, children, civil society members to raise voice for #ClimateAction #ClimateStrike #ClimateActionPK @GretaThunberg @ClimateActionPk @CleanGreenPK pic.twitter.com/bl7OQeSGVr
— Ministry of Climate Change, Govt of Pakistan (@ClimateChangePK) September 20, 2019