Complying with the directions of
Senate Standing Committee, Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations
and Coordination has requested all the Federal Secretaries and provincial chief
secretaries to issue necessary directions to the relevant authorities to ensure
compliance with the tobacco control laws. It has also been requested to
nominate and make public the name and phone number(s) of focal person(s) from
all federal ministries and provincial departments who could take action on a
complaint.
In
letters issued to all Federal Secretaries and provincial chief secretaries, the
Secretary, National Health Services has raised the issue of violations of
tobacco control laws as discussed in the Senate Standing Committee meeting held
on 31st October, 2017. In
this context, he quoted different sections of “The Prohibition of Smoking and
Protection of Non-Smoker’s Health Ordinance, 2002“. He requested to ensure that
all places of public work or use and public service vehicles should be
completely tobacco smoke-free. Similarly, there should be no sale of cigarettes
and other smoking substance to persons under age of 18 years. Secretaries have
been requested to ensure ban on sale, storage and distribution of tobacco
products within and 50 meter of the educational institutions. It has also been
requested to display no smoking signs at all places of public use or work.
Since all officers in BPS 20 and above in the
relevant Ministries/Departments are authorized persons to take action against the
violators, so all the Secretaries have been requested to issue necessary
directions to the relevant authorities to ensure compliance with the tobacco
control laws and make public the name and phone number(s) of focal person(s)
from their ministries / departments who could take action on a complaint.
It is pertinent to mention that
Supreme Court of Pakistan, in Suo Moto Case on Tobacco Epidemic of Pakistan,
had issued the directions to ensure compliance with “The Prohibition of Smoking
and Protection of Non-Smoker’s Health Ordinance, 2002”. These directions were
issued to all provincial chief secretaries. Same directions were issued by the Federal Cabinet, in its meeting held
on 30th September 2016 under the chair of Prime Minister.
Tobacco
use is single largest preventable cause of death in the world. In
Pakistan, tobacco is a cause of death of around 108,800 persons every year.
This is 298 deaths per day. Enforcing existing tobacco control laws would be
helpful in curbing tobacco epidemic and saving lives of people of Pakistan.
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