To support the federal government implement initiatives aimed at combating climate change and its impacts, the Federal Minister for Climate Change – Zartaj Gul, Islamabad Capital Territory Administration and JS Bank distributed canvas bags among the citizens as an alternative to polythene shopping bags.

The canvas bags distribution initiative was undertaken by Hamza Shafqaat, DC Islamabad, Noman Azhar, Head of Branchless Banking – JS Bank alongside their respective teams.

Hailing the ban on plastic bags, Noman Azhar said, “As a responsible institution, JS Bank wants to make a measurable difference in raising awareness to avoid the use of plastic for the sake of the environment and provide an alternative option to the general public.”

Hamza Shafqaat, DC Islamabad added “It is hard to get the general population to forgo plastic bags in Pakistan which contributes to ever growing waste problem. This initiative by JS Bank is an effective way to raise awareness among the masses and will help fight environmental pollution”

A normal plastic bag takes 400 to 1,000 years to degenerate and almost every piece of plastic ever produced still exists in some form in our environment. The amount of plastic waste has been increasing by 10pc each year for the past 20 years, and its accumulation poses grave threats to the well-being of all people worldwide.

Committed towards its role as a catalyst towards the progress and prosperity of Pakistan, the Bank hopes to continue this journey of impact by driving sustainable growth at all forums.