Cabinet likely to approve global treaty against mercury use

Minamata Convention on Mercury is multilateral agreement that addresses specific human activities

ISLAMABAD:

The federal cabinet is set to approve ratification of Minamata Convention on the use of mercury- free technology in mining, coal-fired power plants and other industrial sectors, which would allow the country access to the globally-available technological and financial assistance under its umbrella.

The Minamata Convention on Mercury is a multilateral environmental agreement that addresses specific human activities which are contributing to widespread mercury pollution. Implementation of this agreement will help reduce global mercury pollution over the coming decades.

Pakistan signed the MLI – multilateral conventions to implement the tax-related measures to prevent base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) – in June 2017. The MLI is the culmination of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) BEPS project.

Meanwhile, the commerce ministry is seeking approval of the cabinet for the appointment of an executive director at the State Life Insurance Corporation (SLIC). In this regard, the commerce ministry had moved a summary through the establishment division.

The establishment division, after adding the panel of officers, had forwarded the summary for consideration of the prime minster, which had been approved for placing it before the federal cabinet. The panel of officials comprises of Abdul Khalique Shaikh, Asad Rafi Chandna and Muhammad llyas Khan. The cabinet will take the decision in its meeting on Tuesday (today).