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Lahore, In a significant seminar held on World No Tobacco Day at the Institute of Public Health, Punjab Health Ministers Khawaja Salman Rafique and Khawaja Imran Nazir joined other key health officials to advocate for stronger measures against tobacco usage. The event, organized by the NCD program of the Department of Primary and Secondary Health Care, drew a broad audience, including health experts and legislative members, underscoring the urgent need to combat tobacco’s impact on society, particularly among the youth.
According to Directorate General Public Relation – Govt of Punjab, the seminar featured a robust lineup of speakers, including members of the Punjab Assembly and health officials like Dr. Jamshed of the World Health Organization Punjab, and Dr. Ilyas Gondal, DG of Health Services. They collectively emphasized the critical need to eradicate the addiction scourge from the community.
During his address, Minister Khawaja Imran Nazir highlighted this year’s theme for World No Tobacco Day, focusing on shielding the youth from various forms of smoking, such as shisha and e-cigarettes. He criticized the substantial societal costs of smoking, which amount to 347 billion rupees annually in Pakistan, and called for uniform enforcement of anti-smoking laws without political bias.
Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique echoed these sentiments, pointing to the deceptive allure of smoking that targets the younger population. He proposed stringent actions including heavy taxation on all forms of smoking under the leadership of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif. Rafique stressed the provincial health department’s commitment to purging inefficiencies and ensuring the health sector focuses on genuine service delivery.
Both ministers underscored the importance of public education and legislative action to reduce smoking rates, particularly highlighting the global and national health burdens posed by tobacco use. The seminar concluded with a call for continued efforts to protect public health and promote wellness across all demographics in Punjab.