An International Conference on Soil Pollution and Remediation held in Forman Christian College, Lahore on 15-16 March 2023 organized by Department of Environmental Sciences, Forman Christian College (A Chartered University), Lahore. Soil resources in Pakistan are at the risk because of the pressures of unprecedented rise in population, intensive agriculture, industrial expansions, unplanned urban sprawls, and mismanagement of solid and hazardous wastes. The conference was organized to understand biogenic and anthropogenic causes and sources of soil pollution and possible strategies for adaptation and mitigation. The main themes covered in the conference were soil pollution and treatment; soil quality and health; constructed wetlands, phytoremediation and bioremediation techniques, fate of organic soil pollutants and soil remediation at nanoscale. The conference was attended by many distinguished national and international professors, students, personnel of research organizations, industries, civilians, and civil society organizations. Prof. Dr. Muhammad Afzal, Vice chancellor of Baba Guru Nanak University, Nankana Sahib graced the event with his presence. After welcoming all the distinguished guests, presenters and participants, focal person of the conference Associate Professor Dr. Muhmmad Shahbaz Akhtar introduced the conference theme Soilutions to the Pollution rather than Dilution to the Pollution. After the introduction of Environmental Sciences Department, Associate professor and head of department, Dr. Derk Bakker explained the conference program, themes, and importance of the conference. FCCU Vice Rector of Academics Dr. Douglas Trimble appreciated the Environmental Sciences Department for organizing such a wonderful conference. The Chief guest appreciated the efforts of the organizers and urged that such conferences are necessary specially to conserve and protect our non-renewable natural resources. Foreign speakers from USA, Germany, France, Canada, Japan, Philippines, and Saudi Arabia also presented their research activities and suggested sustainable strategies to combat soil pollution. A workshop on synthesis & environmental applications of graphene-based nanomaterials in arsenic removal was conducted on the second day of the conference. Resource persons (Associate Professor Dr, Muhammad Shahbaz Akhtar, FC College, Lahore, Pakistan; Prof. Tetsuya Kida and Dr. Sohail Ahamad, Kumamoto University, Japan; and Dr. Khurram Joya, Islamic University Madinah, Saudi Arabia) presented synthesis, characterization, and environmental applications of carbon-based nanomaterials/nanocomposites. The speakers and participants discussed major pressures on soil resources of Pakistan and presented sustainable solutions to mitigate soil pollution and strategies. During second day of the conference, Dean of post graduate studies and Director ORIC FCCU, Prof. Dr. Kauser Abdullah Malik appreciated the Environmental Sciences Department and organizers (Patron Dr. Derk Bakker, focal person Dr. Muhammad Shahbaz Akhtar and coordinator Dr. Sohaib Aslam) for organizing a wonderful conference. He emphasized that such conferences could help to redesign the strategies to mitigate environmental pollution. In closing remarks, focal person Dr. Muhammad Shahbaz Akhtar quoted the remarks of distinguished professor Dr. Ratan Lal form Ohio State University, USA that ‘we are the soils, and we must protect this very important non-renewable natural resource. Soils can survive without us, but we cannot survive without soils’. Hence, we should look forward to design and efforts to approve and implement the Healthy Soils Act just like we have the acts for clean water and clean air.
