Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi says every citizen has a role to perform to make Pakistan clean and green.

Addressing a ceremony titled "Plastic Free Pakistan" at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad on Thursday, he said an effective awareness campaign should be run to sensitize people about hazards of polythene bags.

He said the youth have to champion this cause.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi said a campaign of giving up use of polythene bags is going to be started from 14th of this month in Islamabad, which is a great initiative.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul said the government is taking various measures as part of the Clean and Green Pakistan campaign.

She said use and selling of polythene bags will be banned from 14th of this month in Islamabad.  

Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari has appreciated the step by Ministry of Climate Change to impose ban on using polythene bags and to use alternate green bags as part of the Prime Minister's Clean and Green Pakistan Movement.

Addressing a ceremony to distribute Alternate Bags among the workers by the Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul in Islamabad today, she said this step will not only ensure the safety of human beings but will also contribute to minimize the environmental issues.

Dr Shireen Mazari said we need to discourage the use of plastic and polythene bags not only at official level but also at domestic level and educate society about the hazardous and destructive effects of polythene bags.