GILGIT, Dec 11: Northern Areas cabinet advisor Amran Nadeem on Saturday called for launching a struggle against pollution, which, he said, was a major threat to human life.

He was speaking as chief guest at an inter-collegiate declamation contest on environment at the auditorium of College of Education here.

The aim of the contest was to create awareness among the students about the importance of environment.

The function was orgnized by the Allama Iqbal Open University, regional office, Gilgit, in collaboration with the WWF. Northern Areas Home Secretary Arbab Shahrukh Khan presided over the function.

Mr Nadeem called upon the people to join hands with the government for creating awareness about the importance of environment. He urged the participants of the contest to help the government overcome pollution.

The home secretary said the services of NGOs in the Northern Areas to create awareness about environment were laudable.

He added that a letter had been sent to higher authorities, seeking extension of the Environmental Protection Ordinance to the region so that the Northern Areas’ administration could take initiatives for a clean and pollution-free society by strictly implementing the environmental law.—APP