KARACHI: As the world celebrates No Tobacco Day, partners of Coalition for Tobacco Control – Pakistan (CTC-Pak) on Tuesday called on the government to increase pictorial health warning on cigarette packs as announced by the health ministry in 2015 to discourage the use of the harmful substance.

In a press conference held at Karachi Press Club, the partners expressed concerns over tobacco industry’s interference in delaying the implementation of a framework which says 85 per cent of all cigarette packs should be covered with pictorial health warnings (PHW).

“Larger pictorial warnings have been effective all over the world to reduce tobacco use. Even India, having six times the population of Pakistan, implemented 85% PHW rule starting June 1. It’s been over 15 months since Pakistan announced to implement the 85% PHW rule. Why have we not done it when we know its timely implementation can reduce tobacco consumption?” Mir Zulfiqar Ali, CTC-Pak coalition partner, asked at the press conference.

Dr Zahid Saddar, another CTC-Pak partner, praised India for not compromising on public health despite facing resistance from the tobacco industry. “Why does Pakistan continue to delay its implementation when we know there is no allocation in health budget for tobacco victims?” Saddar inquired.

Urging the government to remain committed to its international and national obligations to protect public health, Bilal Zafar said CTC-Pak stands in support of the government.

Highlighting that tobacco industry mainly focuses on youth and children as its target market, Vice-chairperson of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Asad Butt said all forms of tobacco advertisements should be completely banned to save our children. “Cigarettes as well as products such as naswar, gutka and mainpuri claim thousands of lives as they are the main reason behind the rising number of oral cancer patients in the country which include many women and children,” Butt shared.

Walls in Karachi are splattered with paan and gutka stains and public vehicles are littered with their sticky residue but there is little reason to believe the issue is going away anytime soon. Syed Aijaz Ali Shah said the Sindh Assembly is yet to pass a bill against this menace. “Humera Alwani, Sindh Assembly member in 2009, presented the ‘Control of Mainpuri and Gutka Bill’ in the house but it is still waiting for approval. We urge the provincial authorities to immediately pass and enforce the bill which will prohibit manufacturing and sale of the harmful substance,” Shah said.

According to a report by World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 108,000 people lose their lives in Pakistan annually due to tobacco consumption. Each year, WHO marks the World No Tobacco Day to highlight the health risks associated with tobacco use and advocate for effective policies to reduce its consumption. This year, CTC-Pak – which includes WERO, YSN, HRCP, SHED, TYDO and RZDA – will display banners and hold press conferences all over Pakistan to mark the day.