Updated on
Summary Politicians endorse support for complete ban on Tobacco Advertising.
In next general elections, voters should not vote for those candidates who smoke, appeal a groups of 40 Rawalpindi politicians belonging to major political parties of the country.This appeal was made from the forum of TheNetwork for Consumer Protection that was organized in Rawapindi to muster the local proticians support for the enforcement of tobacco control laws in the country.Nadeem Iqbal, Executive coordinator said that the leaders of the political parties should take a queue from their politicians and should not award tickets to the smokers that it will jeopardize their commitment to promoting public health.Politicians endorse support for complete ban on Tobacco Advertising, Promotion and Sponsorship and effective enforcement of tobacco control laws.Activation of District Implementation Committee (DIC) for stringent enforcement measures, headed by District Coordination Officers (DCOs), re-notification of federal and provincial Advertisement Guidelines Committees was emphasized by leaders and district representatives of major political parties.Politicians resolute the enforcement of Prohibition of Smoking & Protection of Non-smokers Health Ordinance 200 and Pakistan Tobacco Vendors Act 1958 in a session for parliamentarians and politicians organized by TheNetwork for Consumer Protection in Rawalpindi.Tahira Aurangzaib, Member National Assembly (MNA) suggested parents to play their role in effective manner to reduce tobacco consumption among youth.Sultan Mahmood Qazi, senior leader and Member Central Executive Committee, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) emphasized to allocate sufficient budget for health sector to tackle the growing tobacco disease burden in Pakistan.He promised to highlight the recommendations of TheNetwork for Complete Ban onTobacco Advertising, Promotion and Sponsorship in party meetings to include tobacco control in charter of Pakistan Peoples Party.Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf (PTI) which has recently introduced its health policy, Farah Agha, President PTI Rawalpindi & Islamabad (Women Wing) suggested religious clergies to advocate people for quit smoking and following tobacco control laws through Juma sermons.Fouzia Naz, General Secretary (Women Wing) Pakistan Muslim League (Q) suggested to include tobacco control in curriculums of young children to save Pakistani youth from tobacco hazards.District representative of MQM suggested to banish tobacco sale points from residential areas.Another representative of All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) suggested to impose higher taxes and higher prices to reduce tobacco consumption in Pakistan.Representatives of PPP pledged support to advocate DCO Rawalpindi for activation of DIC in Rawalpindi city.TheNetwork recalls the Prohibition of Smoking & Protection of Non-smokers Health Ordinance 2002, All Pakistan Vendors Act 1958 and Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) 2004 to protect the present and future generations from the danger of tobacco use and related diseases.TheNetwork while emphasizing the importance of protecting children from aggressive marketing of tobacco products and understand the tactics of tobacco industry urges representatives of political parties of Pakistan to consider the alarming situation of tobacco consumption and recognize the efforts for effective tobacco control, said Nadeem Iqbal, Executive Coordinator TheNetwork.Worldwide 600,000 people die every year with exposure to second hand tobacco smoke and 6 million smokers die every year. The situation becomes appalling since 80 percent of world’s one billion smokers live in low and middle income countries.
