Advisor on Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Amer Javed, stated that industries and commercial enterprises can no longer be allowed to shift the hidden costs of pollution, health hazards, and ecological damage onto local communities and the public exchequer.
He made these remarks while addressing as Chief Guest at a one-day workshop titled “Academia Advocacy on Environmental Justice” held at the University of Peshawar. The event was jointly organized by the Directorate General of Law & Human Rights, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies (IPCS) at the University of Peshawar, and UNDP Pakistan under the Huqooq-e-Pakistan Phase-II Project.
The workshop brought together key stakeholders, including Director General of Law & Human Rights KP Ghulam Ali, Dr. Jameel Chitrali from the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, Provincial Human Rights Officer at UNDP Adil Bashir, alongside faculty members, students, and civil society representatives.
In his welcome address, DG Law & Human Rights Ghulam Ali outlined his department’s ongoing initiatives aimed at reinforcing human rights protections and improving institutional coordination across the province. Dr. Jameel Chitrali highlighted the vital role academia plays in driving research, policy advocacy, and public awareness around environmental justice. Representing UNDP, Adil Bashir reaffirmed the organization’s commitment under the Huqooq-e-Pakistan II Project to support the KP government in advancing human rights and environmental safeguards.
Addressing the audience, the Chief Guest commended the organizers for creating a platform linking environmental protection directly with human rights. He stressed that access to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment is a fundamental precondition for exercising basic rights to life, health, and livelihood.
Highlighting the province’s vulnerability, he noted that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa faces severe environmental pressures—including climate change, flooding, deforestation, pollution, and depleted water resources—which require coordinated action, strict enforcement of environmental laws, and widespread public awareness.
Specializing his focus on economic responsibility, the Law Advisor emphasized the policy imperative of internalising environmental externalities. He asserted that to achieve true environmental justice, legal and economic frameworks must enforce the “polluter pays” principle. Market prices and business models must account for ecological footprints so that commercial entities bear full accountability for their environmental impact.
He assured that the KP government will extend complete support to academia, government departments, and international development partners in mitigating environmental and human rights challenges. He encouraged participants to draft actionable recommendations to enhance access to environmental justice, particularly for vulnerable and marginalized communities.
At the conclusion of the event, the Advisor distributed commemorative shields to speakers, participants, and organizers in recognition of their contributions.