‘Time for Pakistan to treat waste management as opportunity’

Rawalpindi : The speakers at the inaugural ceremony of Dr Akhtar Hameed Khan Memorial Trust Office here on Wednesday were of the view that waste management has always been looked as an issue from the lens of crisis which instead should be deemed as an opportunity. They said waste provides lots of openings to stakeholders who should realise that if it is treated as a business model around the world, then the time has come when it should be treated like an opportunity in Pakistan too instead of a crisis.

Arif Hasan founder of Urban Resource Centre, an urban planner and architect was the chief guest, while others in attendance included Dr Akhtar Hameed Khan Memorial Trust, Chief Executive Officer, Sumaira Gul, Board Members, Almas Saleem and Hamidullah, Sumaira Izhar, Shah Noor ul Islam, MPCHS representative Khalid Khan, Ilyas Khan, Chairman Soan Garden, Raja Taimoor Khan, Anas Khan, Shumaila Jabeen, Kamran Haider Engineer Noor-ul-Hassan and representatives from different organisations of WASH sector.

In her welcome speech, Sumaira Gul, shed light on journey and achievements of Dr Akhtar Hameed Khan Memorial Trust. She eulogised the role played by Dr Akhtar Hameed Khan, Dr Arif Hasan, Fayaz Baqir, Almas Shakoor in the journey and success of Dr. Akhtar Hameed Khan Memorial Trust. “Dr Akhtar Hameed Khan Memorial Trust has established Integrated Resource Recovery Centre (IRRC) setups in Islamabad, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The three centres established in Sakrand, Sindh, Islamabad and Mardan have proved fruitful,” she said adding the Trust has also inked an accord with Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam in collaboration with Town Committee Sakrand for utilising waste produced by banana trees and cotton after they have borne fruit and cotton lint.

She said that all of this was possible due to efforts and guidance of Dr Arif Hasan and Fayaz Baqir. She was of the view that the IRRCs and waste management will be unstoppable as housing societies and even government has started to realise its potential and are keenly taking interest in it. “The IRRCs, could be easily run through the funds of local bodies governments as is the case with Sakrand Town, in Sindh,” she added.

Almas Shakoor shed light on the annual report and spoke about its different aspects. She lauded the efforts Dr Akhtar Hameed Khan Memorial Trust team members for achieving success after going through tough times.

Hamidullah and Noor-ul-Hassan in a presentation highlighted different aspects of the office building and how they were endeavouring to make it eco-friendly through rain-harvesting and solar heating system.

In his remarks, chief guest, Arif Hasan, said the success of Dr Akhtar Hameed Khan Memorial Trust team is because of their hard work. “We have been attached since 1996 and there are many aspects of our life that can be touched upon right now. The most important thing in my view is that you were able to understand the psyche of the society, the donor agencies and to some extent the government,” he said adding that the success journey is also because of your books, you and your husband, Hamidullah have written as your analytical thinking has led you to understand the problems faced by the society.

He said lots of people worked with him but only and handful reached the pinnacle of success. “In future, I am confident the programme you have launched will be followed by many. In my opinion if the society will not adopt the change it will crash and in the end I would also applaud those who adopted your programme,” he added.

Later, Arif Hasan cut the ribbon to inaugurate the office of Dr Akhtar Hameed Khan Memorial Trust in Westridge III.