Experts call for mercury-free Pakistan

Urges the media to join government efforts to increase public awareness

Speakers at a seminar on Wednesday underlined importance of public awareness to avoid exposure of human health and environment to hazard of mercury, which poses grave risk to the sustainability of the life and environment.

The government, non-government organisations, environmental experts, academia, industrialists, medical practitioners and dentists also pledged to join hands with all relevant stakeholders to play their role to eliminate use of the mercury at all level to achieve the objectives of mercury-free Pakistan by 2020.



Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC) Joint Secretary (International Cooperation) Hammad Shamimi emphasised on enhancing public understanding about causes, impacts and sources of mercury for achieving the goal of mercury-free Pakistan, Addressing as a keynote speaker at the Mercury Awareness Seminar, he said the role of academia, researchers, scientists, policymakers and media is of immense importance.

The seminar was organised by the MoCC in collaboration with UN Environment Programme and Global Environment Facility here today under the project Development of Minamata Initial Assessment in Pakistan.



“Exposure to mercury from environmental sources, such as contaminated fish consumption, cosmetics, dental filling, poses potential health risks to the public. But many are unaware of it. Reducing the public exposure to mercury by awareness among the masses at all levels, particularly schools,colleges, universities and mass media channels is imperative” Shamimi highlighted.

He also urged the media to join government efforts to increase public awareness to tackle adverse impacts of mercury. MoCC Deputy Secretary Mureed Rahimoon  spoke on the aims and objectives of the project and UNEP’s Minamata Convention on Mercury. 

Published in The Express Tribune, September 6^th, 2018.