The Awareness Seminar on Mercury in Products was held under the chair of State Minister for Climate ChangeZartajGulWazir at Karachi Chamber of Commerce&Industry(KCCI) here on Thursday. The seminar was organized for the compliance of Minamata convention on Mercury. Expressing her concerns over the use of Mercury in cosmetic and other products, the state Minister for Climate Change said, the Mercury had serious side effects on human body. She warned the cosmetic Industrialists to stop misusing Mercury against the quota assigned to them. The overuse of Mercury in cosmetic products, skin products and dental filling may harm nervous system, the kidneys and may affect during pregnancy, she further added. The seminar on awareness of Mercury in Products was held under the slogan of “Making Pakistan Mercury Free” and other participants consisted Karachi Chamber of Commerce office bearers and Ministry of Climate Change officials accompanied by State Minister for Climate. The state Minister for Climate Change was presented memento as a token of appreciation at the end of seminar. The Minamata Convention on Mercury is an international treaty designed to protect human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds.She said a survey carried by her Ministry revealed that as result of small gold mining in Chitral, there were many disabled children. However, under Minamata Convention, the government was going to get funds for the scale-up and upgradation of the mining process so that health safety of the people could be ensured. ZartajGul also underlined the need for equipping with modern technology and trainings all the government Environment Protection Agencies in the country. She was satisfied with the response got at the seminar and told that such seminar was already held by her Ministry in Lahore in partnership of the business community and other stakeholders and was very productive. More such programms would be organised in other cities of the country. President Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, M. ShariqVohra, Senior Vice President M. SaqibGoodluck, Vice President Shamsul islam Khan, Joint Secretary from Ministry of Climate Change Syed MujtabaHussain, Deputy Director Chemical Minamata Convention DrZaigham also attended the seminar. President KCCI appreciated the Ministry of Climate Changes ‘s efforts to raise awareness amongst the masses about the harmful impact of mercury. This move was desperately needed as majority of the people were totally unaware of the health hazards and were widely using many beauty products containing excessive mercury. He also assured full support and cooperation to the Ministry in all its initiatives towards building a better and healthy society.