Environment conference demands full provincial autonomy to fight environmental degradation
Speakers at the Annual Environment Conference 2025 have called for full provincial autonomy to effectively tackle environmental degradation, urging that the federal government should no longer legislate or enforce policies in areas constitutionally assigned to provinces, including climate change, ecology, forestry, agriculture, food security, livestock, and wildlife.
Organised by the National Forum for Environment and Health (NFEH), the conference was held under the theme “Environment, Climate Change, Corporate Leadership – Towards a Sustainable Pakistan.”
Speakers emphasised that federal involvement in subjects devolved to provinces under the Constitution was counterproductive, hampering efforts to protect forests, natural landscapes, coastal resources, and overall ecological conditions.
MNA Mehtab Akbar Rashdi, a keynote speaker, recalled the challenges she faced soon after the establishment of the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) when she served as its director-general in the 1990s. Despite severe capacity and manpower constraints, SEPA successfully imposed a province-wide ban on black polythene bags within three months, convincing traders and retailers to discontinue their use due to their proven carcinogenic nature. She said that during her six-year tenure, SEPA worked closely with industrialists to regulate harmful emissions and industrial effluents, with strong support from Karachi commissioners in controlling vehicle emissions and addressing rickshaw pollution.
Managing Director of the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB), Tariq Ali Nizamani, announced that the SSWMB would launch training and awareness programmes to convert household food waste into compost to help expand urban green cover. He noted that around 50 per cent of urban waste is organic and can easily be transformed into compost or biofuel through segregation. He further outlined plans to establish recycling plants, modern waste transfer stations, and scientifically managed landfill sites to minimise the amount of waste dumped and improve urban environmental conditions.
Executive Director of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), Musarat Jabeen, highlighted SECP initiatives to enforce sustainability guidelines for listed companies. She emphasised the importance of reliable data to attract foreign climate financing and pledged to continue awareness and capacity-building efforts to strengthen the corporate sector’s climate resilience.
Senior environmental journalist Afia Salam urged the release of 10 MAF water downstream of Kotri Barrage, in line with the 1991 Water Apportionment Accord, to sustain the Indus Delta’s mangrove forests and marine ecosystem. She stressed that corporate entities should voluntarily comply with environmental regulations rather than doing so only under external pressure.
Senior ecologist Rafiul Haq encouraged both public and private sector organisations to actively undertake tree plantation initiatives to mitigate climate change and safeguard the environment.
Adviser to the Sindh Governor, Tariq Mustafa, who presided over the conference, shared details of the Governor House’s year-long urban tree plantation drive, executed in collaboration with educational institutions, NGOs, and community organisations. He said that the Governor House in Karachi had also been hosting awareness sessions on key environmental challenges and climate emergencies to motivate citizens to participate in conservation campaigns.
NFEH President Naeem Qureshi, in his welcome address, urged public and private sector stakeholders to fulfil their sustainability obligations by actively participating in plantation drives and other environmental initiatives. He reaffirmed NFEH’s commitment to holding regular forums for stakeholders to deliberate on climate change and environmental protection and recommend actionable solutions.
NFEH General Secretary Ruqiya Naeem delivered the vote of thanks at the conclusion of the conference.
Also occasion, Adviser to Sindh Governor, conferred Annual Environment Excellence Awards-2025 on over 70 companies. Eleven organisations were given special awards for their active participation in plantation campaigns.
Engr. Nadeem Ashraf VP NFEH, Abdul Raheem Soomro, Member, Local Commission, Government of Sindh, Rashid Azeem, Divisional Head – Environment Social and Governance (ESG), United Bank of Pakistan, Lubna Panjwani, Environmental Educator, Rafi ul Haq, Ecologist and others also addressed on this occasion.
