Professor Zulfiqar A. Bhutta, Founding Director of AKU's Institute for Global Health and Development, welcomes guests to the annual conference.Photo: AKU
Dr Sulaiman Shahabuddin, President of AKU, reads Mawlana Hazar Imam's statement to conference delegates.Photo: AKU
Pakistan’s top architects, urban planners and public health experts convened in Karachi today to develop strategies for building climate-resilient cities and communities in response to record temperatures and extreme flooding. Mawlana Hazar Imam sent a statement to delegates, which was read in the conference’s opening session.
The Aga Khan University’s Institute for Global Health and Development hosted the event in partnership with the Sustainable Development Solutions Network Pakistan. Government officials, development specialists and international collaborators discussed how Pakistan can redesign homes, neighbourhoods and public systems to withstand climate shocks.
Mawlana Hazar Imam’s statement, read by AKU’s President Sulaiman Shahabuddin, emphasised the urgency of climate action.
“Climate change is one of the greatest threat multipliers of our era. Its impacts intensify disease, malnutrition, displacement, learning loss, and poverty,” the statement read. “These burdens fall disproportionately upon women, children, older adults, and marginalized communities. Addressing them is not optional; it is imperative for equity, stability, and sustainable development.”
See full statement https://the.ismaili/speech/statement-fr ... nvironment
Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal attended as chief guest, alongside Canadian High Commissioner to Pakistan Tariq Khan. Representatives from Europe, North America and Southeast Asia also participated in the discussions. The conference theme, Climate Change and the Built Environment: Promoting Resilience & Adaptation in Low-Income Settings, reflects Pakistan’s position as one of the top 10 countries most vulnerable to climate impacts despite contributing less than 2 percent to global emissions.
The opening day featured keynote presentations on climate-smart architecture, indigenous design approaches and community-led adaptation strategies such as low-cost cooling techniques and traditional ventilation methods.
President Sulaiman said that AKU would continue advancing climate resilience research and partnerships. “Climate change is reshaping every aspect of life in Pakistan. Our responsibility as a university is to help the country design smarter, safer, more resilient environments,” he said. “AKU is committed to generating evidence, solutions, and partnerships that support climate adaptation at scale.”
The conference programme is scheduled to continue with sessions examining rural adaptation models, climate-resilient health systems, indigenous solutions and community-led innovations. Organisers have also planned a high-level policy panel to discuss national climate action frameworks.
https://the.ismaili/pt/en/news/aku-host ... in-karachi