August 29, 2003	Friday	Jumadi-us-Sani 30, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Aug 28: A complete report about the health hazards due to crude oil spill off the Karachi coast will be presented to Prime Minister soon.

Federal health minister Mohammad Nasir Khan told reporters here on Wednesday that soon after the Tasman Spirit agrounded and started spilling crude oil, he had approached the WHO which conducted a study by involving health experts from the Jinnah Post-Graduate Medical Centre (JPMC) and formed a committee.

The minister said that he had received the report of the committee which would be submitted to the prime minister in a day or two.

He said he had already apprised the Sindh chief minister about the health hazards identified by the committee due to the oil spillage.

Replying to a question, he said “the matter pertains to the Sindh government” but conceded that the oil spill has created health problems like skin irritation, eye diseases and breathing problems.

He dispelled the impression that the health ministry was complacent about the issue, saying “the ministry was very much alive from the day one.”