Parlamento Komitesi İslamabad’da Atık Su Kirliliğine Dikkat Çekti

NA body concerned over wastewater discharge into Islamabad’s natural streams

ISLAMABAD: Members of a parliamentary committee on Monday raised concerns over water pollution and environmental degradation within the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT). During a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, presided over by acting chair Dr Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro, the members drew particular attention towards contaminated water sources and untreated wastewater entering natural streams. According to a handout issued by the NA Secretariat, officials of the ministry informed the committee that action was being taken against illegal discharges. The committee members were told that a sewage treatment facility at Korang Nullah was under development to reduce pollution flowing into Rawal Dam. The committee further discussed institutional coordination on climate financing, green taxonomy, international partnerships and the formulation of new National Ambient Air Quality Standards, which are expected to be finalised later this year with technical assistance from the Asian Development Bank. The committee members underscored the importance of regular ministerial engagement and accountability before the committee, and Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Musadiq Malik assured the members of his continued availability for briefings. The committee was briefed on the ministry’s Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for FY 2026-27. Musadiq Malik said the ministry was operating within a constrained fiscal space and had prioritised projects of national significance, including new initiatives on a botanical garden and air quality, with private-sector participation to be explored. He briefed the members on completed projects, including the Pakistan Biosafety Clearing House, established to meet the country’s reporting obligations under the Cartagena Protocol and to strengthen the Environmental Protection Agency and a water-quality initiative under which laboratories and testing facilities had been made operational, including under the WASH programme. The ministry officials informed the committee that recent regulatory decisions on genetically-modified soybean and canola had supported the poultry sector, emphasising that it would be guided strictly by scientific evidence and food-security considerations and expressing willingness to align with stringent international standards, including those of the European Union. The officials of the Ministry of Industries and Production briefed the committee members on Pakistan’s Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy, developed by the Engineering Development Board in consultation with development partners, think-tanks and universities. The briefing outlined incentives for electric two- and three-wheelers, measures to expand charging infrastructure, and ongoing efforts to encourage localisation of manufacturing and reduce reliance on imported components. The members sought clarification regarding the availability of charging stations, affordability of electric vehicles, battery recycling mechanisms, incentives for manufacturers, indigenous production of spare parts and long-term sustainability of the transition. The committee was informed that more than 100 licensed charging stations had already been approved, that new petrol stations in Islamabad would be required to include EV charging facilities, and that a comprehensive battery policy and recycling framework had been prepared and was awaiting approval. The members were apprised of Pakistan Accelerated Vehicle Electrification (PAVE) programme, additional schemes under consideration, including facilitation for government employees in grades BPS 1-16 and sand kiln-enhancement initiatives. The committee recommended that the ministry present a comprehensive briefing on Pakistan’s policy framework related to genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) and bio-safety. It further directed the ministry to furnish complete details of all laboratories certified to conduct vehicle emissions testing and to submit a detailed report on the demarcation and legal boundaries of the Margalla Hills National Park. The meeting was attended by Mir Khan Mohammad Jamali, Shaista Khan, Shehla Raza, Mussarat Rafique Mahesar, Rana Ansar, Tamkeen Akhter Niazi and Shahida Rehmani. Senior officers of the relevant ministries and departments and the Capital Development Authority also attended the meeting. Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2026