Washington: Pakistan's Ambassador to the United States, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, has said that Pakistan, despite contributing minimally to global environmental pollution, is the most affected country by climate change in terms of population exposure.

Addressing an event organized by the Islamic Circle of North America's (ICNA) humanitarian wing, Helping Hand, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh highlighted that climate change has emerged as a major obstacle to Pakistan's developmental progress and economic expansion.

He noted that the scale and intensity of natural disasters caused by climate change in recent years have significantly increased, posing unprecedented challenges to Pakistan's development trajectory.

Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh described climate change as a global crisis, not confined to any one country or region. He emphasized that its catastrophic effects require a united global response, and called on the international community to collaborate in combating this shared threat.

Referring to Pakistan's frontline role in the global war against terrorism, the Ambassador said that today, the country stands on the frontlines once again, this time in the battle against climate change. He added that the Government of Pakistan is taking every possible step to assist affected families and mitigate the damage caused by natural disasters.

Appreciating the philanthropic role of the Pakistani diaspora, he said, 'In every moment of difficulty, the Pakistani community and generous individuals have played an admirable role in supporting relief efforts.

He urged the Pakistani-American community to actively contribute to providing relief to flood-affected families and areas, saying that the time has come again to unite in the spirit of patriotism and humanity.