ISLAMABAD, May 24: The People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP) central information secretary, Sherry Rehman, has submitted an adjournment motion to the National Assembly Secretariat seeking discussion on alleged open dumping of nuclear waste by the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) near Dera Ghazi Khan.

According to a press release, Ms Rehman has asked the National Assembly to take note of the “serious hazard posed to the health and survival of residents of central Punjab by the shocking levels of toxic uranium waste being dumped in village Baghalchur by the government agencies”.

Ms Rehman claimed that rainfall and wind currents were bringing the radioactivity to Vidore Hills area where the residents were losing their eyesight and suffering for skin rashes and deadly cancers as well as miscarriages and premature births. “Some 1,200 samples of evidence have been collected from the area and scientifically verified as nuclear waste, but the PAEC refuses to answer public and media queries,” she added.