ISLAMABAD: An irritated PPP lawmaker on Monday sought intervention of the speaker National Assembly for strict implementation of the anti-smoking ban inside the premises of the parliament house.

Shazia Marri of the PPP, an directly elected Member of the National Assembly from Sindh, speaking on a point of order, said, “as per the law of the land, smoking is banned inside public places, but, what to talk about the rest of the country, one can see sheer violation of the law here in the Parliament House.”

She added, “For God’s sake Mr Speaker have mercy on the health of non-smokers inside the parliament house.” Receiving applause from her colleagues, presumably non-smokers, Ms Marri said, “at least the law must be given due respect here because this is the place where the said legislation has been done.

“Smoking publicly is a violation of Section 5 of the Tobacco Control Law. The law prohibits any form of smoking in public places or government offices.”

The law came into being in 2002. However, over the years, governments, both at the central and provincial levels, haven’t paid much attention towards its true implementation.

Published in Dawn, February 23rd, 2016