ISLAMABAD: The civil society appreciated the decision taken by Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) on Wednesday, regarding pictorial warnings covering 85 percent of cigarette packs from May 31. However, they expressed concern that the decision may not be implemented.

Nadeem Iqbal, executive coordinator for nongovernmental organisation TheNetwork for Consumer Protection, has been advocating for stronger measures against tobacco smoking.

He told Dawn that the decision announced on Wednesday is truly remarkable. “However, I doubt that it would be implemented,” he said.

Term new pictorial warnings on cigarette packs ‘appreciable’

“In December 2013, during a meeting of Committee on Tobacco Advertisement Guidelines (CTAG), it was decided that ban would be imposed on tobacco advertisement and banners, hoardings and names of cigarette would not be displayed in shops,” he said.

“I was part of the CTAG committee and it was decided that decision would be implemented from May 31, 2014. However, just a week before the date of implementation, the tobacco industry went to the Sindh High Court and obtained a stay order,” he said.

“It is possible that once again, a similar step would be taken by the tobacco industry because it very resourceful and influential. On the other hand, the government is addicted to tobacco revenue. It should realise that Pakistan’s reputation at the international level is at stake,” he said.

“Pakistan was supposed to change the pictorial warning on cigarette packs in 2011 but failed to do so for four years. Pakistan’s delegations at international conferences faced embarrassment because of this,” he said.

Nadeem Iqbal said that if the NHS ministry is serious about implementing new regulations, ministry of law and finance should also be taken on board.

Tobacco must be taken as a health issue and we must not budge because of pressure from the tobacco industry.

He said that the government has to spend Rs 150000 every year on each cancer patient and this spending can only be reduced by taking action against tobacco smoking. “Plain cigarette packs must be introduced like Australia,” he said.

The Coalition for Tobacco Control – Pakistan (CTC-Pak) National Coordinator Khurram Hashmi said the government’s decision is commendable. “Civil society was making efforts for last few years to change the pictorial warning.

We also suggested imposition of a tobacco hazard tax. If implemented, the decision to cover 85 percent of the cigarette pack with a pictorial warning would be the biggest step taken in the right direction,” he said.

An official of the NHS ministry, requesting not to be identified said that within 24 hours of the announcement of the regulation, some elements have become active, saying that implementation of new pictorial warning should be postponed. The possible loss of revenue from tobacco industry is being cited as the reason.

However, on Wednesday NHS Minister Saira Afzal Tarar, while speaking to a news conference, claimed that she was ready to face the pressure of tobacco industry.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2015

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