Pollution-related issues had never been taken seriously, Sherry Rehman

Pollution-related issues had never been taken seriously, Sherry Rehman

ISLAMABAD, June 10, 2017: Minister for Environment Zahid Hamid admitted that Pakistan did not have any ‘reliable’ system for monitoring data on air pollution. He said that seven centres set up with the help of the Japan International Cooperation Agency back in 2007 had long become non-functional. The centres would become functional again in July, he added.

Responding to a calling attention notice, he said that a research study conducted by environment experts to deal with environment issues needed $40 billion to implement its recommendations.

Sherry Rehman, the mover of the notice, said that Pakistan was among the worst countries in the world in terms of air pollution. She said that pollution-related issues had never been taken seriously.

She had an argument with the minister when he called her ‘lady senator’. Ms Rehman reacted by saying that a senator was a senator and there should be no discrimination on the basis of gender. “Should I be calling you gentleman minister then?” she remarked.

This article appeared in Dawn: 

https://www.dawn.com/news/1338645/call-to-probe-musharraf-era-nuclear-proliferation