Dr. Fazana Shah, Director General, Pakistan Environment
Protection Agency said that there was a complete ban on the use of plastic bags
in Islamabad while other provinces were also following this practice to
discourage the use of these bags as they were polluting environment and
affecting health of people. She said this while addressing a seminar on “Plastic
Free Islamabad organized by the ICT Administration under the initiative of Clean
& Green Pakistan to sensitize the business community and other stakeholders on
the importance of eliminating the use of plastic bags for a healthy environment.
Muhammad Ahmed Waheed President Islamabad Chamber of Commerce &
Industry and Ajmal Baloch President Anjuman-e-Tajran Pakistan participated as
chief guests. Tahir Abbasi Senior Vice President, Saif Rehman Khan Vice President
ICCI, Khalid Chaudhry, Aftab Gujjar, Sheikh Owais, Zafar Iqbal, Aslam Khan, Owais
Malik, representatives of markets associations and Pak-EPA officers attended the
seminar.

Dr. Farzana Shah said that people should prefer cloth bags to save environment
from further damages. She said that ban on plastic bags use in street markets
and rural areas would also be implemented and seminars would be organized to
sensitize the people of their harmful effects. She thanked Muhammad Ahmed
and Ajmal Baloch for cooperating in this initiative.
Dr. Muhammad Asif Raheem, Additional Deputy Commissioner Islamabad said
that ban on plastic bags in Islamabad was going successfully, but areas including
Barakahu, Sabzi Mandi, Tarnol, weekly bazaars and some rural areas were not
complying with the ban and stressed that business community should cooperate
in its implementation.

Muhammad Ahmed Waheed, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce &
Industry said that ICCI had cooperated with Pak-EPA in coping with pollution in
industrial areas of Islamabad and organized a seminar on the ban of plastic bags
at Chamber House. He said that another awareness session on this issue in
cooperation with Pak-EPA and ICT Administration would be organized in near
future to sensitize business community on this important matter.
Ajmal Baloch, President, Anjuman-e-Tajran Pakistan said that resistance was
being faced on the introduction of any new law. However, he emphasized that
instead of using strict tactics, better alternatives of plastic bags should be
provided and registered cases against business community on this issue should
be withdrawn.