An International Workshop on “Droughts over Pakistan in the Changing Climate” that was organized by National Drought Monitoring and Early Warning Centre (NDMC) of Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), Islamabad in collaboration with International Centre for Climate Change, Food Security & Sustainability (ICCFS) at The Islamia University of Bahawalpur (IUB)The Islamia University Bahawalpur (host), has successfully conducted the mega event to address critical issues related to drought dynamics in the region. For the very first time in the history a workshop dedicated to the subject of the drought has been conducted by PMD.
Distinguished personalities such as Dr. Ehtasham Anwar, Commissioner of Bahawalpur Division, Prof. Dr. Abdur Rauf, Director, Student Affairs-IUB, Dr. Sardar Sarfraz, Chief Meteorologist of Pakistan Meteorological Department, Islamabad, Pakistan, and Dr. Syed Faisal Saeed, Director & Coordinator of the International Workshop (NDMC), alongside other renowned researchers, scientists, and professionals, graced the occasion with their presence.
In his keynote address, Dr. Ehtasham Anwar, Commissioner of Bahawalpur Division, reiterated the need for climate change education and advocacy within society. He emphasized the conservation of nature for sustainable ecosystems, drawing inspiration from the poetry of Parveen Shakir. Furthermore, Dr. Ehtasham Anwar shared insights from his tenure as Secretary of Education in South Punjab, highlighting efforts to develop climate change curriculum for seventh-grade students. He showcased the "Children Green Book," aimed at explaining various climate change phenomena to children through engaging stories.
The main objective of holding this international workshop was to bring together the leading scientists and researchers from different governmental and non-governmental organizations working on the subject of droughts. This workshop also provided a platform to the stakeholders working in the field of water resources, agriculture, disaster management authorities, NGO and INGOs. Number of scientists hailing from all over Pakistan, including IWMI (Sri Lanka), ICIMOD (Nepal), Academia, Future Water (Netherland), FAO (UN) etc., presented their cutting-edge research on different aspects of drought and related issues. This workshop resulted in building the capacity and developing the networking among the scientist and stakeholders.
In concluding session, Prof. Dr. Shazia Anjum (Acting Vice Chancellor/Patron CCSC/ICCFS-IUB highly appreciate the Mr. Mahr Sahibzad Khan, Director General, PMD, for conducting this event and Prof. Dr. Naveed Akhtar (Vice Chancellor, IUB) to support all the local logistics for event to gather all stakeholders under the same table to find solutions for tackling climate change, food security. At the end, Prof. Dr. Wajid Nasim Jatoi, Director, ICCFS-IUB emphasized on joint ventures, collaboration, cooperation and dedication with all stakeholders and given the example of CCSC-IUB (https://ccsc.iub.edu.pk/) in which more than 80 Universities, Research Organizations, Private Partners, NGO’s etc are part of this great initiative.
The workshop's agenda, spanning over two days, featured a comprehensive exploration of various aspects related to droughts and their implications within the Pakistani context amidst a changing climate. Sessions included presentations, discussions, and group interactions led by experts in the field.
