Journalist Wajid Ali wins climate contest, earns praise from British High Commission

By Our Correspondent

LAHORE: Journalist Wajid Ali has won a climate change journalism competition organized by the British High Commission in Islamabad, earning wide praise for spotlighting the overlooked vulnerabilities faced by Pakistan’s street workers amid an intensifying climate crisis.

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The competition invited journalists from across the country to present fresh and meaningful perspectives on climate change. Among all the submissions, Wajid Ali from a private television news, distinguished itself for its focus on street workers, a segment that contributes significantly to Pakistan’s economy but remains continually exposed to rising temperatures and worsening environmental hazards.

Wajid’s story, titled “How Pakistan’s Street Workers See Climate Change as God’s Will,” revealed a key insight: many street workers believe climate impacts occur purely because of divine will. By consulting religious scholars and incorporating their views, Wajid created a critical bridge between faith-based beliefs and scientific evidence, helping vulnerable communities understand that while faith plays a role in their worldview, human actions also contribute to climate change and solutions can be shaped by human responsibility.

To celebrate his achievement, the British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Jane Marriott, invited Wajid Ali to her residence in Islamabad’s Diplomatic Enclave. The gathering was also attended by climate journalism leads Sneha Lala, Nimra Zaheer, and Rabia Malik, who commended the depth and originality of Wajid’s reporting.

High Commissioner Marriott praised the strength of Wajid’s arguments, noting that his recommendations could help shape future climate communication and outreach efforts. She expressed particular interest in integrating religious scholars and faith leaders into climate awareness programmes, recognizing their influence in guiding public understanding in Pakistan.

Marriott emphasized that journalists must work collectively to advance solution-driven climate reporting, adding that such collaboration is essential for supporting Pakistan’s resilience-building efforts at a time when climate challenges are accelerating.