Islamabad (GNP): In connection with the global celebrations of World Environment Day 2026, the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA), in collaboration with Nestlé Pakistan, spearheaded a transformative clean-up drive at Rawal Lake in Islamabad. The initiative, hosted by the Small Dams Department, Government of Punjab, marked a flagship activity of Environment Week, aligning with this year’s global theme: “Inspired by Nature, for Climate, for our future.”
The clean-up campaign mobilized volunteers from Nestlé Pakistan, Schools & University students, civil society organizations, and the local community to systematically collect waste from the surrounding areas and the shore of Rawal Lake. Over the course of the day, the volunteers gathered a significant quantity of hazardous and solid waste. A disturbing discovery during the drive included discarded syringes, hospital waste, and numerous plastic items, highlighting the severe pollution threatening the lake’s ecosystem.
The campaign focused not just on cleaning the shoreline but also on raising urgent awareness about the dangers of improper medical waste disposal, the persistence of plastic pollution in freshwater bodies, and the preservation of natural habitats. Rawal Lake, a critical water reservoir and recreational site in the capital, faces frequent littering and contamination, making this intervention critical for public health and environmental safety.
Leading the Event, the Director General of Pak-EPA addressed the participants directly, emphasizing the need for continuous action. The DG Pak-EPA encouraged the young generation present at the event, stating: “This drive is about more than collecting waste; it is about reshaping our relationship with nature.
The presence of hospital waste and plastics in Rawal Lake is a stark warning. I strongly encourage our youth and all citizens to ensure that such activities are done continuously. We must move beyond one-day events to build lasting habits that protect our climate, inspired by nature itself.”
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The Spokesperson of Pak-EPA also addressed the participants and emphasized the need of clean air, water and soil for our future generation. He highlighted the facts that the nature has provided us Clean Air, Clean water and Clean Soil but we have polluted air by vehicular emission, stack emissions, brick kilns and open burnings, the clean water is contaminated with the industrial effluents and poor domestic waste water effluent directly in the natural stream without treatment, we have polluted the soil by creating massive dumping sites and solid waste production.
Nature should be provided in its original form to our upcoming generations. With World Environment Day 2026 approaching, this clean-up drive at Rawal Lake set a powerful tone for continued environmental action.
Pak-EPA remains committed to leading environmental protection efforts through public engagement, cross-sectoral collaboration (including partnerships with Nestlé Pakistan and the Small Dams Department), and decisive enforcement, all driven by the enduring inspiration of nature in the fight against climate change.
