Federal cabinet approves National Hazardous Waste Management Policy

Islamabad: Federal cabinet Tuesday approved Pakistan’s first-ever National Hazardous Waste Management Policy.

This was announced by Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb while briefing the media persons in Islamabad along with other cabinet members including Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, Minister for Environment Protection Sherry Rehman and Qamar Zaman Kaira.

Giving details of the policy, the Minister for Environment Protection Sherry Rehman said the National Action Plan for the implementation of the National Hazardous Waste Management Policy will be framed within three months. She said the implementation of the policy will help protecting health of the people and country's environment.

Marriyum Aurangzeb said the cabinet has also condemned the recent attack on Polio workers that claimed three lives including two Police constables. She said the Prime Minister has sought an inquiry report of the incident. 

She said Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has directed to initiate the inquiry and a comprehensive report of the matter will be submitted in the next federal cabinet meeting.

The Information Minister said Federal Cabinet also approved the new rules under visa regime review for Afghan citizens. She said under new rules, Pakistan's consulates all over the world will process the visas of Afghan citizens by considering their country of stay instead of their country of origin. Through online visa facilitation, Afghan citizens including drivers, transporters and helpers will be able to extend their visas for six months. 

She said the authority to extend the visas from six months to a period of one year has been given to Ministry of Interior. The Minister said to continue the process of facilitating ease of doing business in the country, the Prime Minister constituted a cabinet committee. 

She said visa regime review also includes relaxation of visa provision to Afghan patients.