ISLAMABAD:Experts on Wednesday said that deadly products of the tobacco industry were endangering the lives of Pakistani children and urged the government to ensure that children remain protected from these products.
They were speaking at an event organized by the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC) in connection with World No-Tobacco Day.
Addressing the event, Dr Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of National Health Services Regulations & Coordination, said, “While the 61 million youth are an asset for Pakistan but the addictive and harmful tobacco products pose a threat to our present and future,” she added.
She said that approximately 1,200 children begin smoking daily and 170,000 people die every year due to tobacco-induced diseases. “We can’t let young lives suffer at any cost and for that increasing tobacco prices to keep it away from children’s reach is imperative,” Soomro urged.
Dr Nisar Ahmed Cheema, MNA and Member of Standing Committee Health talked about the theme of World No-Tobacco Day 2023 – We Need Food, Not Tobacco. He said that due to inflation, the children and youth of Pakistan were facing severe issues in meeting their educational, nutritional, and recreational requirements. Hence, the government’s decision to increase tobacco prices should be welcomed and supported by all.
Dr Samina Matloob, Member, Standing Committee, National Assembly of Pakistan for National Health Services Regulations & Coordination, said Pakistani youth was being bombarded with sales and advertisements of tobacco products. “It is our collective responsibility to protect our children and youth from these products,” she stressed.
Dr Ziauddin Islam, Former Technical Head of Tobacco Control Cell, Ministry of Health, said the tobacco industry claims to be a provider but in reality, it was causing damage to the economy. He also commended the recent decision by the government to increase Federal Excise Duty on tobacco products. In order to build on this, FED should be increased according to the inflation for the fiscal year 2023-24, Ziauddin suggested.
Suleman Ahmed, DG of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), said, “Our youth want a safe and healthy future”. It was about time our policymakers decide whether they want to support the youth or an industry which was trying to recruit these youth as replacements to keep its profits going.
Khalil Ahmed Dogar, Program Manager SPARC, mentioned that the track and trace system implemented by the Federal Board of Revenue in Pakistan was a great way to ensure that the tobacco industry couldn’t cause any further damage to the economy. He mentioned that since the implementation of the system, production of cigarette sticks had decreased whereas FBR’s tax collection had improved by 11.75 per cent.
Khalida Ahmed, Member, Board of Directors of SPARC, said that since 1992, SPARC was working for child rights.
“SPARC has initiated the ‘Youth Advocates Against Tobacco’ campaign with the vision of creating a tobacco-free Pakistan,” she informed, adding that the aim of his organization was to encourage “our youngsters to come forward and play a part today and in the future as well”.
Besides senior journalists, the event was attended by civil society activists and health advocates who appreciated SPARC for its continuous efforts in raising awareness on the harms of tobacco.