KARACHI, Feb 15: Provincial government’s anti-smoking task force on Thursday resolved that there would be a complete ban on sale of cigarette in areas surrounding educational institutions.

In a meeting, the committee comprising senior representatives of various government departments and agencies decided that efforts would also be made curb smoking in intra-city public buses at the earliest.

Sindh Task Force for the Implementation of Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smokers Health Ordinance, 2002, met with provincial secretary for the Health department, Dr Noshad A. Shaikh, in the chair and discussed ways to eliminate smoking and other tobacco uses in places of public work and public service vehicles and to protect the health of non-smokers.

The meeting was told that unless concerted efforts, with the support of senior government officials, were made a significant success could hardly be achieved, said a source privy to the meeting.

In line with the ordinance in question, the task force decided that no person shall himself or by any person on his behalf, store, sell or distribute cigarettes or any other such smoking substances within an area of 50 meters from any college, schools or educational institution. The CCPO and other senior officials would be urged to cooperate in the implementation of the decision and further ensure that persons below 18 were not sold cigarettes.

While observing that no-smoking was being exercised in intra-city public vehicles, the participants of the meeting stressed the need for prohibiting smoking in buses and other modes of public transport.

It was also decided that government medical superintendents, heads of all medical care facilities down to the BHU level should ensure complete implementation of the anti-smoking ordinance in their respective jurisdictions.

Secretaries and heads of various government departments and offices were also urged to ensure that 2002 ordinance was not contravened in the Sindh secretariat and other government offices. If needed, some zone or section could be reserved for smokers in the departments, the source added, saying that government officers concerned should also arrange for separate smoking corners in hotels and restaurants.

It was further decided that some sort of literature highlighting the adverse impacts of smoking would also be prepared and distributed among the students with the collaboration of the Sindh education department, while on the other hand the Sindh Information department would also be urged to ensure that any advertisement pertaining to cigarette smoking did not appear on the electronic media in a duration other than 12 midnight to 6pm.

The meeting was attended by senior officials of the home, education, law, information and transport departments, local governments, and representatives from the PMA, the pharmaceutical sector and the CAA and senior officials of the health department, including Dr Shakeel A. Mullick.

It was also decided at the meeting that the CCPO and one representative each from the PMA and the transporters association should be co-opted in the 14-member task force.

Discussing measures required under the 2002 anti-smoking ordinance, the meeting called for action against persons resorting to smoking at public places. Under the law, a person can be fined Rs1,000 for a first time violation and the penalty can be increased up to Rs100,000 in case of second breach.