ISLAMABAD, Sept 27: The government on Saturday approved a set of codes relating to tobacco advertisements, aimed at forcing the companies to print health warnings against smoking by utilizing 30 per cent space of the cigarette pack.

Presided over by Health Minister Mohammad Nasir Khan, the federal implementation committee on the recently-promulgated ordinance on prohibition of smoking also approved the suggestion that 20 per cent space on billboards should contain warnings to apprise the public of the harmful effects of smoking.

The meeting, which was also attended by secretary health Ejaz Rahim, director-general health Mohammad Aslam, representatives of different ministries, provincial health departments and NGOs, allowed the electronic media to advertise tobacco ads from midnight to 6am.

Through the ordinance, the government has banned smoking in public places.

An official spokesman told Dawn that the meeting also decided to form implementation committees both at the provincial and district levels for implementing the ordinance by launching campaigns.

The provincial ministers will head the provincial committees while the district committees will be headed by respective district Nazims.

The meeting also discussed the problems being faced in the implementation of the law in public transport vehicles as drivers and conductors, who have been authorized to check smoking, were themselves violating the law.

The meeting decided to arrange workshops by involving police officials, chairman/secretaries of different unions of transporters, shopkeepers, drivers and conductors to apprise them of the covenants of the anti-smoking law.

The minister asked the provinces to begin anti-smoking drive and implement the law in letter and spirit.

He also asked the health ministry to set an example by banning smoking in its offices and asked other ministries to follow the example.

During the meeting, Dr Khalif Bile, the WHO representative, said Pakistan was taking steps in accordance with the guidelines provided by the World Health Organization and said his organization would support the efforts to educate the officials of different departments.