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Declaration on toxic chemicals mandatory for all concerned

KARACHI: All exporters, producers and users of chemicals in Pakistan are required to submit annual declaration for the quantity of toxic chemicals in schedule 2, 3 and 4 under the Chemical Weapon Convention (CWC).

This was stated by the Director, Disarmament Cell, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lt Col Liaquat Ali Khan, while talking to members of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Wednesday.

He said the Disarmament Cell wanted to create awareness about the use of chemicals in local industry.

He said the declaration will be prepared by all the effected industries, importers, exporters or producers, if any, after Pakistan's ratification of the convention in October 1997.

Under the convention the declaration threshold for chemical under Schedule 2 is one kilogramme to one tonne, while for verification from 10 kg to 10 tonnes.

For schedule 3, it is 30 tonnes for declaration threshold and 200 tonnes for verification.

He said the country can be subjected to international sanctions if failed to provide data about the use of chemicals of schedule 1, 2, 3 and 4.

He said the draft law, prepared by the Law Ministry, is pending necessary legislation and added a Statute Regulatory Order (SRO) has been issued for export purposes.

He said about 169 countries had signed CWC of which 129 had ratified it.

He said those countries who do not sign the convention would not be allowed to trade chemicals of schedule 2 after April 2000, and schedule 3 after Aril 2002.

Col, Khan made it clear that the convention does not mean a "ban" on the use of chemicals but it will regulate their usage.

"Under the convention certain thresholds (limits) have been prescribed by the Organisation for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) located at the Netherlands capital, the Hague", he said.

The user of chemicals surpassing these limits will have to submit details to the government for onward annual declaration to OPCW, he added.

Referring to few incidents of non-reporting of chemical use by local industries, he said Pakistan had to face embarrassment at the international forum as the exporting countries had reported to OPCW about the export quantity.

He said it is necessary to report the import and use of these chemicals for maintaining a record for onward report to OPCW.

KCCI members expressed their apprehensions about keeping the record of chemical usage as most of the users are illiterate and suggested that leaders should have taken Pakistani people into confidence before ratifying the convention.

Earlier KCCI President Amjad Rafi welcomed the speaker and said the chamber will extend full cooperation in creating awareness about the use of toxic chemicals in local industry. APP