The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration has disbursed over 32,000 pamphlets across the city, aimed at creating awareness against tobacco use among the masses during ongoing year.
The brochures were distributed during road-shows regarding drug abuse held at F-10 Markaz, G-9 Markaz, Kashmir Highway and G-11 Traffic signals, additional deputy commissioner, Dr Asif Raheem, also in-charge of Tobacco Control Cell (ICT), told on Tuesday The ICT teams in coordination with Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad and Capital Development Authority had displayed public awareness messages on tobacco through sign boards and polls to make Federal capital tobacco-free.
With a special focus on youth, the local administration had approached public and private sector educational institutes and sensitized the students about the harmful effects of drugs, he added.
To promote smoke-free environments at public places in the federal Capital, Raheem said, Pakistan Monument and the Lok Virsa Complex had already been declared ‘Tobacco Smoke-Free Zones.’ To a query, he said, on the request of ICT Auqaf department the scholars were highlighting the health hazards of illegal substance abuse in their Friday sermons.
Meanwhile social activists and health expert urged the government to develop legal framework and implement standardized plain packaging as effective tobacco control measure to reduce the attractiveness and appeal of tobacco products to consumers.
Babar Saleem, a social activist at non-governmental organization said the tobacco industry had become very powerful and only interested in maximizing their profit while playing with the lives of our young generation.
Due to political influence they were successful in delaying cases in courts at domestic and international level, he claimed.-INP
