Islamabad: The Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination (MoCC and EC) has intensified its efforts to address the increasing challenge of electronic waste, or e-waste, under the Basel Convention.

According to Radio Pakistan, a high-level consultative meeting was held at the Ministry to discuss the terms of reference for the first working group tasked with reviewing the current status of electronic waste management in Pakistan. The group aims to identify policy and regulatory gaps and initiate the development of a national e-waste management framework.

The meeting was chaired by Zulfiqar Younas, Additional Secretary of MoCC and EC, who expressed concerns over the unsafe handling and informal recycling practices prevalent in the country’s e-waste sector. He highlighted the urgent need for investment in formal recycling systems, national legislation, and public awareness about environmentally safe e-waste management.

Younas noted the absence of comprehensive national baseline data to assess the scale, sources, composition, and handling practices of e-waste in Pakistan. He emphasized the necessity of a baseline study to map the full lifecycle of electronic products from import and usage to disposal and informal recycling, and to quantify the annual volume of e-waste generated.

Director General (Environment and Climate Change) at MoCC and EC, Asif Sahibzada, provided a detailed presentation on the current status of e-waste management, policy gaps, and the future action plan. He outlined the terms of reference for the newly formed working group, which includes policy experts, senior government officials, academia, and private sector members. The group is responsible for developing a national e-waste policy framework and recommending enforcement mechanisms.

Sahibzada highlighted that Pakistan is facing a rapidly increasing challenge with around 500,000 tons of e-waste generated annually. He warned that the lack of formal collection and recycling systems poses serious environmental and public health risks.

Dr. Zaigham Abbas, Director of the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency, informed participants that Pakistan, as a signatory to the Basel Convention, is committed to controlling hazardous waste, including e-waste. He mentioned the development of two key documents under the Convention to support safe handling and disposal of electronic equipment.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Azeem, Director Urban Affairs at MoCC and EC, pointed out that urban areas in Pakistan are becoming fast dumping grounds for discarded electronic items due to rising digitalization and lack of formal disposal systems.