APROPOS of the news report (April 15), despite the promulgation of the Protection of Non-Smokers Health Ordinance in 2002 and formation of Islamabad-based Tobacco Control Cell, the implementation of the law is not visible in the country except to some extent in Islamabad.

The public is not even aware that smoking is prohibited in places such as offices, halls, restaurants, airports, public transport and even hospitals.

There aren’t any no-smoking signs to be seen anywhere except at airports and these too are ignored. All types of slogans and artwork can be seen on buses, but ‘no smoking’ signs are conspicuous by their absence even in airconditioned inter-city buses.

Recently I tried to stop a person from smoking in a bus. He :retorted: “This is a public bus and not your private transport.” The bus conductor and fellow passengers were least concerned.

This incident goes to show the level of ignorance of the tobacco control law and the harmful effects of smoking on smokers and non-smokers alike.

At the very least ‘no smoking’ signs must be displayed prominently at all public places and on transport so that the citizens concerned can make an effort to curtail smoking in the absence of anti-smoking agencies, who are supposedly working in all the provinces.

Asif Jah

Karachi

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2015

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