"Criminal negligence": PTI slams government as lead poisoning haunts Pakistan's children

Islamabad [Pakistan], May 4 : The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has launched a stinging attack on the federal government following a shocking health disclosure that four out of every 10 children aged 12-36 months in high-risk zones across seven major cities have dangerous lead levels in their blood.

According to Dawn, the opposition party has slammed the state for its inability to safeguard the country's youth from such a pervasive toxic threat.

In a statement released on Sunday, the PTI central information secretary, Sheikh Waqas Akram, characterised the results of the joint Ministry of National Health Services and UNICEF study as a "national disgrace, exposing the government's complete failure to protect the future of children".

The findings highlight a deepening public health crisis in a nation already struggling with crumbling infrastructure and weak governance.

Akram called for urgent and tangible government intervention, insisting on the rigorous application of health and environmental laws, alongside the launch of comprehensive national testing and medical programmes.

He further demanded "full accountability for those responsible for the toxic exposure" that has left the most vulnerable citizens at risk.

"While children in Haripur and Hattar are suffering from an alarming 88 per cent contamination rate, millions more across Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad face irreversible harm, yet those in power continue to offer nothing but empty words and hollow assurances," Akram stated, as reported by Dawn.

The PTI official warned that lead poisoning is quietly wrecking the lives of infants, leading to permanent neurological damage, diminished IQ, impaired growth, and a host of chronic health issues.

He noted that there is "no safe level of lead exposure for children," yet the Pakistani state has permitted "industrial emissions, unregulated battery recycling, lead-based paints, and contaminated spices and cosmetics to poison an entire generation."

Dawn noted that the scale of the disaster is staggering, with global data suggesting that as many as eight in ten children in Pakistan could be impacted.

This represents one of the most severe contamination rates globally, potentially draining the national economy of 6-8 per cent of its GDP.

"This is not an accident. This is criminal negligence," Akram asserted.

He lambasted the administration for its "regulatory gaps, poor monitoring, and zero public awareness," which have been allowed to continue for years despite official claims of being "committed to strengthening surveillance and enforcement."

The revelation has further damaged the international standing of the Pakistani government, highlighting a systemic failure to monitor industrial toxins and basic consumer safety.

As highlighted by Dawn, the crisis underscores a pattern of administrative apathy that continues to compromise the health of the next generation.

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