Senate body discusses ecological and aquatic effects of oil refineries.

Islamabad: Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights in its meeting discussed at length the issue of ecological and aquatic effects of oil refineries working in the country and government's policy to overcome the said issues. Ministries of climate change, petroleum, provincial environment and transport departments and representatives of oil refineries briefed the committee.

The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar here at the Parliament House on Monday and was attended among others by Senators Muhammad Usman Khan Kakar, Dr. Mehr Taj Roughani, Keshoo Bai, Barrister Muhammad Ali Khan Saif.

The Committee was told that according to reports around 128,000 deaths occur annually directly or indirectly due to climate change and children being weak in fighting organ diseases are the most effected ones. 43% pollution in Pakistan is due to low grade oil being imported and used by transport industry followed by energy sector. In Pakistan Euro-2 standard is applied while the world has gone to Euro-6 technology.

Almost 9 % of our GDP is affected due to climate change sue to low yields, more expenditure on health. There needs to be strong coordination between...