No-smoking ads on school buses proposed

Islamabad: Parliamentary Secretary for the Federal Education and Professional Training Division Zeb Jaffar on Thursday proposed no-smoking advertisements on school and college buses in the Islamabad Capital Territory insisting the initiative will raise public awareness of the harmful impact of tobacco use.

She floated the proposal during a meeting at the education ministry here with the representatives of the relevant authorities, organisations, and foreign agencies in attendance. Officials highlighted the government's efforts to combat tobacco use in major cities, especially in educational institutions.

Director Dr. Gan Quan and Senior Programme Manager Katty Wright of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (Tobacco Control) appreciated the country's tobacco control efforts, especially the Prohibition of Smoking in Enclosed Places and Protection of Non-Smokers Health Ordinance, 2002, and promised to continue anti-smoking support for it. The parliamentary secretary said the use of tobacco claimed hundreds of thousands of lives every year, so the issue would be addressed at a policy level.

She said people should quit smoking to prevent health risks. Ms. Zeb proposed the display of 'no tobacco use' advertisements on 400 buses of Islamabad's public sector schools and colleges to effectively serve the anti-smoking cause. Senior joint secretary of the federal education minister Junaid Akhlaq and deputy director of the Federal Directorate of Education Naveed Anjum promised their organizations' complete support and cooperation for measures to create a healthy and smoke-free environment for students in Islamabad.