Another five districts in Punjab to replicate Islamabad smoke-free model

Islamabad: After Lahore, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi and Sialkot, another five major districts of Punjab have joined hands to protect the country’s youth from the menace of tobacco and drug use.

According to Dr. Minhaj-us-Siraj, the project director spearheading the anti-tobacco campaign from the platform of the Ministry of Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD), the Deputy Commissioner of Gujranwala 0himself resolved to quit smoking on Wednesday while launching the smoke-free city campaign in the district.

Dr. Minhaj took pride in the Islamabad smoke-free model being replicated in Punjab as well. “I have already shared the work plan to achieve the objectives of cancer prevention in the community. Tobacco control laws will be implemented in letter and spirit; it will be mandatory for all high-rise buildings of the five districts to remain smoke-free,” he stated.

Dr. Minhaj said, the target is to reach 139 districts of Pakistan through the district governments. “A situation analysis in the form of baseline surveys has been initiated, and the status of implementation of laws and second-hand tobacco smoke concentrations in 300 public places of each district is actively being evaluated. Awareness sessions will be conducted and law enforcement teams will start working immediately,” he shared.