The Biz Update One of Pakistan's Most Reliable Business News Website
Related Articles
KARACHI ,6 June ,2026: Aga Khan University (AKU) marks World Environment Day by hosting a public screening of “The Sky is Far, The Earth is Tough” at Habitt City. Director Haya Fatima Iqbal leads the documentary, which is part of the Voices from the Roof of the World series. The film highlights how climate change and natural disasters affect both physical and mental health in northern Pakistan.
The screening brings together filmmakers, climate experts, students, and activists. As a result, participants discuss the growing environmental crisis facing vulnerable mountain communities.
Experts highlight that northern regions warm faster than the global average. Consequently, glacier melt increases, flash floods intensify, and landslides occur more frequently. These changes damage infrastructure and force long-term displacement. In addition, they create economic instability and a rising mental health burden for communities that contribute least to global emissions.
Speaking at the event, Dr Rozina Karmaliani of AKU’s Brain and Mind Institute stresses that the climate crisis is now a humanitarian emergency. Therefore, she calls for integrating mental health into climate disaster response. She also says visual storytelling helps expose the real human cost behind climate data.
Similarly, Dr Fozia Parveen from AKU’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences emphasizes climate education. She says institutions must prepare the next generation with sustainability knowledge. As a result, students can better understand, adapt to, and respond to climate challenges.
Meanwhile, filmmaker Haya Fatima Iqbal highlights the emotional impact of environmental loss. She notes that repeated disasters destroy ancestral lands and create deep psychological trauma. Therefore, she calls for stronger environmental storytelling that focuses on human suffering, not just statistics.
In addition, sustainability expert Tariq Essa discusses the role of businesses and individuals. He says both must reduce their carbon footprint as climate risks continue to grow. Moreover, he stresses the importance of collaboration between media and experts to shape informed public dialogue.
The screening is sponsored by Primero. Voices from the Roof of the World is an award-winning documentary series led by Aga Khan University and partner institutions. It documents climate challenges across Central and South Asia and raises awareness about floods, droughts, and biodiversity loss.
Overall, the initiative strengthens climate awareness. It also amplifies the voices of communities on the frontlines of environmental change.
