Government moves to tighten chemicals safety regime

Pakistan is stepping up efforts to strengthen the safe management of chemicals, improve national chemicals governance and promote safer handling of hazardous substances, Joint Secretary (International Cooperation) at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Nazia Zaib Ali said on Wednesday.

Speaking at the inaugural session of a capacity-building workshop on scaling up the implementation of the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS), Ali, who also serves as the National Focal Point for the Global Framework on Chemicals, said the government remained committed to meeting its national and international environmental obligations, including those under the Basel, Rotterdam, Stockholm, Minamata, Vienna and Montreal conventions.

According to a statement, these conventions aim to protect human health and the environment by regulating hazardous chemicals and pollutants through global cooperation, she said. Ali noted that the GHS is an internationally recognised system that classifies chemical hazards and communicates them through standardised labels, pictograms and safety data sheets. The system ensures workers, consumers and communities receive clear and consistent information about chemical risks.

She outlined steps already taken, including the National Hazardous Waste Management Policy (2022) and its implementation plan. Upcoming measures include a National Chemicals Management Policy, a Chemicals Control Act and a specialised directorate for hazardous chemicals and waste."These efforts reflect Pakistan's determination to protect human health and the environment from the adverse impacts of chemicals for current and future generations," she said.

The workshop, organised by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) with UN agencies and the climate change ministry, aims to review GHS-related legislation, introduce technical elements of the system, assess needs across agriculture, workplaces and consumer products and begin drafting a national roadmap defining roles, milestones and capacity-building requirements.Officials said the initiative will strengthen supply-chain management, improve workplace safety, support international compliance and contribute to Pakistan's sustainable development goals.

Environmental and climate change policy advocacy expert Mohammad Saleem Shaikh stressed that public and institutional awareness is essential for effective GHS implementation. He said improved outreach, clearer labelling and stronger compliance would help prevent chemical-related accidents.