alk into the University of the Punjab and you can’t miss the banners that warn against smoking on the varsity premises. Violators can be slapped with a fine of Rs 1,000, the banners say.

These banners have been posted next to various departments of the PU, following a recent Punjab government directive to ban smoking in public areas such as educational institutions, government offices, hospitals, shopping malls and on public transport. The offenders face fines ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 100,000, depending on the severity and location of the violation.

One can still find students smoking openly at the varsity. They don’t seem to have a clue to the fines regime.

Meanwhile, social media is abuzz with people from different walks of life discussing the government initiative. Dr Hassan Shehzad, a Pakistani researcher whose work was referred to in a 2024 IMF report on taxes targeting the tobacco sector across the local and international divide, says, “The Prohibition of Smoking Ordinance, 2002, is almost 23 years old now.”

He says that the campaign is funded by the World Bank and goes on to compare it with the one launched famously during Gen Pervaiz Musharraf’s time. “Musharraf was a heavy smoker, but at that time there were bagfuls of funds coming in from international donors. He didn’t want to miss the opportunity.”

Dr Shehzad laments the motivation, “We want to curb tobacco for the sake of international money, but not out of a concern for public health.

“After Musharraf, Dr Zafar Mirza, a former health minister, set up a network for consumer protection, and worked actively for a ban on smoking in public places. His work was globally recognised. After that, no organisation made a serious attempt to curb smoking in Pakistan,” Shehzad says.

Dr Shehzad also speaks of “journalists who interview the CEOs of various tobacco companies. Internationally, no tobacco player can be named in the media.”

Dr Farukh Amin of the city health department says smoking can cause cardiovascular and lung diseases. “The ban will check smoking, especially passive smoking.”

He calls for a patrolling force at public places to catch and fine the violators.

Syed Nazrat Ali, the additional commissioner in charge of coordination, says every public department has been intimated about the anti-smoking law. The results are beginning to show.

Naveed Rafaqat Ahmad, CEO of Punjab Sahulat Bazaars, talks of having “received the instructions” and “taking steps to implement a comprehensive smoking ban across all Sahulat Bazaar premises. Our help desks have been activated and field teams asked to distribute informative brochures that highlight the health hazards of smoking and the benefits of a smoke-free environment, especially for children, pregnant women and elderly citizens.

“Consistent enforcement of smoke-free policies, awareness campaigns on social media and campuses and the involvement of teachers, parents and peer groups are crucial. Institutions should also collaborate with health organisations to run targeted workshops and support systems that guide students towards healthier lifestyles.”

“Our message is clear: public spaces belong to families and they deserve to be safe,” he says.

While efforts to curb smoking in public places are on, the situation at educational institutions isn’t too good. Dr Moneeba Iftikhar, a faculty member at the Lahore College for Women University’s Department of Mass Communication, says most students “seem unaware of the ban. Even those who know about it are confused with regard to its enforcement. Maybe it is because they haven’t got an official word on it from the administration.”

She is of the opinion that the “initiative is definitely the right thing, but it requires better enforcement and smarter awareness strategies at the educational institutions.”

Dr Iftikhar says it worries that some students have taken to smoking on the campus where smoking is culturally discouraged. “The trend is picking up among the boarders. This indicates a shift in behavior. Some women might start smoking to cope with stress or to assert their independence.”

Last year, the government raised cigarette prices by almost 100 percent. But this doesn’t seem to have prevented the students from smoking. Abbas Mayo, a mass communication student at the PU, says that even though cigarettes are not sold on campus or anywhere close to the campus, the students are never short on supply. “Waiters at canteen and security guards will always have packs [of cigarettes] to sell you, albeit at inflated rates. If you can’t afford those, head to the Professors’ Colony and you’ll find quite a few vendors,” he says.

When asked why students smoke when it’s heavy on their pockets and is also hazardous to health, he says that often they do it to get validation from peers, but also to release stress.

Syeda Khadija Zainab, a student of English literature at the PU, says some girl students smoke and vape “for the thrill, and to blend in with the crowd. In my honest view, most of these girls can smoke on campus but not at home.

“The laws and regulations may not stop you from becoming a sneaky smoker, but parental discipline can make the difference,” she says.

Dr Iftikhar says smoking could be discouraged if students were educated about the health risks involved, provided with counselling and offered healthy alternatives such as sports and extracurricular activities.

“Consistent enforcement of smoke-free policies, awareness campaigns on social media and campuses and the involvement of teachers, parents and peer groups are crucial. Institutions should also collaborate with health organisations to run targeted workshops and support systems that guide students towards healthier lifestyles,” she adds.

Ahmad seconds her views, “We need to inspire behavioural change as well as keep punitive measures in place to discourage smoking in public spaces. Let’s try positive reinforcement, education and shared values.”

In Mayo’s view, universities should “award extra marks to non-smokers, and prefer non-smokers in jobs.”

Meanwhile, the provincial government has instructed public institutions, especially those within the School Education Department, to appoint focal persons and trainers to oversee tobacco control efforts. To quote the AC Coordination, “The primary goal is to protect students from tobacco use.” He notes that severe health risks are associated with tobacco consumption, including throat cancer, heart disease and lung disorders, which cause over 160,000 deaths annually in Pakistan.

The public can report violations on the Smoke-Free Pakistan mobile app.

Ahsan Malik is a media veteran interested in politics, consumer rights and entrepreneurship