Cape Town, September 16, 2026: National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has called for stronger parliamentary leadership, democratic accountability and international cooperation to address the growing challenges posed by climate change.
Addressing the 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Cape Town, the NA speaker highlighted the need for effective climate adaptation measures supported by fair financial assistance, parliamentary oversight and sustained international cooperation.
During his address, Sadiq referred, without naming any country or delegation, to challenges relating to sudden flows of water in rivers and the withholding of water, highlighting the wider implications of water-related issues in the context of climate change.
According to the National Assembly Secretariat, members of the Indian delegation attempted to disrupt the speaker’s address, prompting the chair to intervene and call for decorum and order.
The Secretariat further said that the Jamaican speaker and host of the meeting later intervened when a member of the Indian delegation continued speaking, taking the microphone from the delegate.
Despite the interruption, Sadiq continued his address and stressed that effective climate adaptation required climate justice, equitable financial support, democratic accountability and meaningful parliamentary engagement.
He said climate adaptation policies should be formulated with effective public participation, while democratic institutions must exercise meaningful oversight over climate-related policies and their implementation.
Sadiq noted that climate change was affecting various aspects of human life, including food security, water availability and public health. He said Pakistan was among the countries severely affected by climate change and stressed the need for equitable international climate finance.
He also called for international climate finance to remain subject to parliamentary oversight to ensure transparency, accountability and effective utilisation of resources.
Highlighting the role of Pakistan’s Parliament, the speaker said legislation, budgetary oversight and parliamentary committees could help translate climate policies into practical action and ensure effective implementation of climate-related commitments.
He emphasised the importance of including women, youth and other segments of society in efforts to address climate change and called on Commonwealth parliaments to share experiences, best practices and innovative approaches to strengthen resilience against climate-related risks.
Sadiq stressed that parliamentary dialogue on global challenges should remain purposeful and constructive.
“Parliaments should promote cooperation and meaningful dialogue rather than differences in addressing climate change challenges,” he said, adding that strong democratic institutions were essential for building resilient societies.
