ISLAMABAD – While global discussions on climate change are becoming intensely heated and the world is witnessing its effects more clearly than ever, Pakistan’s national organisation, Pakistan Environmental Protection Council (PEPC) headed by prime minister and set up to formulate and implement policies only exists on papers as not even a single meeting of this body has been held for a year now.
The PEPC was formed in 1984, then headed by president, under section 3 of the Pakistan Environmental Protection Ordinance, but during the first ten years of its existence only one meeting of the PEPC could be held. In 1994, an amendment was made make the prime minister or his appointed man to be the head of the council. The council was reconstituted after enactment of the new law i.e. Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997.
An official of the Environment Ministry told Pakistan Today that the law required of the body to have two meetings every year but the last meeting was held in March 2010. He said that the ministry was preparing agenda for next meeting but the date was yet to be decided. An environmental expert Shakil Ramay told Pakistan Today that the role of PEPC was very essential and critical but so far it was being an inactive body.
“In Pakistan the industrialists are very influential and they could be blame for the environmental degradation in the country,” he observed. When contacted, Director General Environment Javaid Ali Khan said the ministry had submitted the draft for meeting’s agenda to prime minister but there had been no reply so far. He said the ministry has proposed several measures to counter environmental degradation.
Toothless Pakistan Environmental Protection Council
