ISLAMABAD . In a major development, the Pakistan Standard and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) has taken a serious note of the continuing use of Kraft paper for cement packing, that has been banned to protect the lives of the public in Pakistan from serious diseases like cancer and heart diseases vide the Mandatory Notification. A PSQCA notification issued on July 11, 2016 enfolds punishment and fine for those who will manufacture, store or use Kraft paper for cement packing from now onwards. The PSQCA, an organization to ensure consumers welfare and public safety, has banned the use of Kraft paper after getting continuous complaints from the public, seeking action against the manufacturers for using Kraft paper sacks for packing of cement. The authority in its notification said Pakistan is only country in the world that uses Kraft paper sacks for the cement packing and mandatory notification for the use of polypropylene cement sacks to save the health of the people was not implemented. The PSQCA also noted that the use of Kraft paper bags for cement packing was also opposed by the National Institute of Health (NIH) through its letter dated November 6, 2014, but its directive too was simply ignored. The mafia behind the second-hand use of Kraft paper sacks after cement packing for food packaging is so powerful it ensured that the mandatory SRO issued by the PSQCA to prohibit the use of Kraft paper sacks is not implemented, but it also refused to implement NIH directive in this regard. Despite clear orders of PSQCA and NIH, this mafia is preferring the use of Kraft paper bags over polypropylene sacks for cement packing without considering its bad effects on human lives. The delay of years in implementing of the use of polypropylene sacks for cement packing is self- explanatory. It indicates as to how mafias operate in Pakistan to mint-money at the cost of the lives of the people.
Pakistan losses US$ 50 million per annum of foreign exchange on import of Kraft paper for packing of cement, that cannot be recycled after use, while, the environment friendly, recyclable polypropylene bags have value addition of over 30% that besides saving foreign exchange will generate employment and save the current repercussions on human health. The PSQCA had issued a mandatory SRO back in July 11, 2016, seeking ban on use of Kraft paper for packing of cement, but the cement industry simply ignored the related SROs. The use of Kraft paper bags for food items is also going on unabated. It’s one of major reasons that are causing serious diseases like cancer, heart strokes and many others in Pakistan and is violation of Food Safety Agreement signed with the World Health Organisation (WHO). implementation of PSQCA’S fresh notification and banning the use of Kraft paper sacks for cement packing will help create a healthy environment in Pakistani society. Even the wheat flour industry is ignoring yet another Mandatory Notification issued on May 02, 2017 for the use of one-side laminated, one- side woven polypropylene food grade wheat flour sack to save the annual loss of Rs 50 billion of staple food to our people because of its dusting from the porous weave of non-food grade polypropylene bags. This waste of wheat flour is going unabated in Pakistan where a sizeable percentage of population is facing starvation