a , Dec 15: Smoking is the single most important cause of indoor pollution in the country, yet a tobacco company is being allowed to mount an environmental campaign which involves planting of trees.

This was stated by speakers at a seminar held on Monday by the Pakistan Chest Society. Tobacco consumption, they said, caused more than 100,000 deaths in the country.

On the occasion Dr I.S. Burki of the Pakistan Journal of Chest Medicine said up to 70 per cent of the Pakistani children were exposed to smoking in their homes. This was the reason behind the sharp rise in the respiratory diseases among them.

Dr Mosavir Ansari of the Liaquat National Hospital said instead of taking measures to control the menace of smoking, the tobacco industry was trying to tell the public that tobacco was essential for the country’s economy.

The tobacco industry claimed that it gave Rs50 million to the government in taxes. But, what it did not mention was that it got back Rs560 million in sales each day.

“Also, in return the tobacco industry gives the public over 30 serious diseases,” he pointed out. “Therefore, the use of tobacco is detrimental to the financial health of any economy.”