Senior Political Assistant to Chief Minister Punjab, Muhammad Pervez Malik has called for taking measures on war footing basis to check rapidly increasing environmental pollution, as environmental issues may hamper the country's economy.

Nine dangerous chemicals used in farming and industry will be added to a list of banned substances whose presence in the environment causes serious health risks, more than 160 government agreed on Saturday.

The nine pesticides and industrial chemicals join 12 substances targeted for elimination under the 2001 Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).