138,123,359 (July 1999 estimate)
Land area:
778,720 km2
Coastline:
1,046 km
(Source: CIA World Factbook
1999)
Pakistan
Country Contact:
Ministry of State for Environment, Local Government
and Rural Development
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Many thanks to the United Nations Commission on
Sustainable Development, the source of the following
information. The information was taken from Pakistan's
submission to the 5th Session of the Commission on
Sustainable Development (last update: April 1997). For
further information on Pakistan's social and economic
factors, natural resources, and institutional structures see
the United Nations System-Wide Web Site on National
Implementation of the Rio Commitments National Information
for Pakistan at
http://www.un.org/esa/agenda21/natlinfo/countr/pakistan/
OCEANS AND COASTAL AREAS
The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea was signed December 1982 and ratified 26 February 1997.
The Ministry of Environment, Urban Affairs, Forestry and Wildlife is responsible for the overall implementation in this sector. Pakistan has access to and applies state-of-art technologies in the Marine Environmental Unit.
The Pakistani coast is exposed to negative environmental impacts from thermal pollution, increased oil spills, tarballs, and plastic and toxic effluents, including heavy metal. The coastal strip of Pakistan is arid, with fewer than 20 centimeters precipitation a year. Pakistan has mangrove on approximately 800,000 acres of swamp.
The Karachi Port is mostly polluted by non-port-related activities. An estimated 90,000 tons of oil products from vessels and the port's terminals are dumped every year in the port's water. To address the problem, the Karachi Port Trust has signed MARPOL 1972-1979. A green belt around Karachi Port is being implemented. The project includes planting 150,000 mangroves and 350,000 various other plants.
The Port Quasim Authority initiated a number of activities which include mangrove plantations and locating industries in large industrial estates to clear the coastline.
An allocation of Rs. 350 million was distributed among three projects: a Marine Pollution Control Centre which handles emergency oil spills; a Marine Environmental Unit to monitor water, air, sediment and biota quality; and a Marine Pollution Board. The last has been established to handle matters which are related to marine life and environment, and resources at risk; to provide advisory services to relevant organizations; and to review monthly progress in combatting and controlling marine pollution.