Committee formed to probe impact of herbicides

The Ministry of National Food Security and Research has formed a committee to investigate the impact of the rampant and wide-scale use of weed killers and herbicides in the country.

Ministry of Climate Change (MOCC) officials told The Express Tribune that ongoing legal battles around the world on the topic, including in the US, had apparently fascinated Ministry of Climate Change Secretary Syed Abu Ahmed Akif. The secretary subsequently wrote letters to the relevant ministries to highlight the issue.

In his letters to the ministries of food security and health, Akif strongly argued in favour of setting up committees comprising specialists to report whether the use of weed killers and herbicides was safe for human health apart from determining their impact on the climate.

In a similar letter to the MNHRC, he sought an assessment of the impact of weed killers and pesticides on climate change and human health.

Anwar, Shahzad. Committee formed to probe impact of herbicides. The Express Tribune, June 29, 2017.