KARACHI: The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has called upon Federal Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid to implement anti-tobacco laws and declare train compartments and railway stations tobacco/chalia (betel nut) free areas.

In a letter recently written to the Railways minister, the PMA urged him to play a role in saving human lives being lost to tobacco hazards.

“The Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smokers Health Ordinance 2002 should be implemented in letter and spirit in the jurisdiction of Pakistan Railways and train compartments and railway stations should be declared as tobacco/chalia-free areas. “It is seen [that] people smoke and chew chalia in different forms and spit everywhere on railway stations. The smokers not only harm their own health, but also put the health of non-smokers around them at risk,” it says.

It is proven clinically that the juice of chalia is carcinogenic and when it is mixed with tobacco, it becomes more dangerous for human health, the letter says.

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2019