CAA bans carrying of naswar on all flights

E-Paper | October 29, 2026

CAA bans carrying of naswar on all flights

Dawn.com Published July 1, 2019

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on Monday announced a ban on carrying Naswar during air travel. The act has been deemed a punishable offence.

According to a notification by the CAA, all the airports in the country have been alerted about ban on carrying naswar.

The notification mentioned that all the Arab countries have included naswar in the list of narcotics and that from here on out, strict action will be taken against passengers carrying naswar in their luggage.

The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) has recently called for coordination and cooperation among all agencies to help effectively control drugs in the country. The ANF directed for frequent counter-narcotics interaction at the provincial and federal levels.

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Yaqoob

Jul 01, 2019 01:53pm

Khan sahib . I voted for PTI and you did this to me . Your entry to KPK will be a challenge if this policy is not changed. You did this to us ( Pathans) what about cigarettes?

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Aaqib

Jul 01, 2019 01:55pm

What a news ! Are we living in 2019 ?

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M. Saeed

Jul 01, 2019 02:00pm

When people are not afraid of carrying hard drugs to Saudia despite beheading as punishment if caught, what is Naswar in comparison?

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Innocent Cries

Jul 01, 2019 02:02pm

It's pathetic we can't differentiate between Naswar and other highly hazardous narcotics.

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Javed

Jul 01, 2019 02:05pm

Other than the draconian rule by middle eastern autocracies, naswar is not a fire hazard.

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shoaib jadoon

Jul 01, 2019 02:05pm

It;s never too late, very good decision though should have been taken this step years ago..

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KAHN

Jul 01, 2019 02:27pm

Delighted to hear this news as I have seen worst scenes on flight relating to naswar. The benefits of naswar is beyond my mind at least.

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Ilyas

Jul 01, 2019 02:33pm

Good decision. Cigarettes should be ban as well..

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Sami

Jul 01, 2019 02:35pm

It will make the planes less dirty!

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Fahd A

Jul 01, 2019 02:38pm

Well done . Finally

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Bhaarteey

Jul 01, 2019 02:38pm

What is Naswar? If it is anyway related to tobacco, then the ruling is fair and lovely. The only thing hurts is giving example of other countries. Have something if not everything original.

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Fahd A

Jul 01, 2019 02:39pm

What about gutka and chalia

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Naveed

Jul 01, 2019 02:41pm

Not fair.

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blunt

Jul 01, 2019 02:45pm

@Yaqoob, I couldn't control my laughter :)

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Hu Zhi Yuan Dr

Jul 01, 2019 02:47pm

@Aaqib, Please ask GCC Countries i.e. UAE, KSA, Oman, Qatar,Bahrain& Kuwait who have classified it as a "Narcotic Drug".

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The Truth Spy

Jul 01, 2019 02:51pm

i am used to Naswar but its a good news

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Hu Zhi Yuan Dr

Jul 01, 2019 03:00pm

For Info : Earlier in May 2018, several Pakistani nationals were reportedly apprehended by Iraqi Officials at airports for possessing naswar. Eventually, Pakistan’s Embassy in Baghdad advised Pakistani visitors not to carry naswar while travelling to Iraq.( Print Media ).

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Hu Zhi Yuan Dr

Jul 01, 2019 03:15pm

@Bhaarteey, Reference to other countries if RELEVANT here. Please carry ACTIFED DM Cough Syrup in your next flight to UAE and rest assured you will enjoy state hospitality for FOUR YEARS !

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ABBAs kd

Jul 01, 2019 03:19pm

In many Western civilized countries like Netherlands & Canada, rules are being relaxed drugs being decriminalized but in Pakistan instead of dealing with issues more humanely, we are going even further backward. Thanks to our corrupt political representatives who keep coming into power through the revolving door treating public like slaves,, no matter which party in the power.

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Irfan UK

Jul 01, 2019 03:20pm

First of all its not Pakistan's decision to ban the naswar but the Saudis have banned this. Secondly I think they should have introduced it very softly so that they could give the addicts a bit of time to stop the bad habit.

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Jungraiz

Jul 01, 2019 03:21pm

Every other baseball player & Harley-Davidson rider n US uses chewing tobacoo/naswar. share this news with these racists, may be they will change their minds about banning naswar.

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Justicefirst

Jul 01, 2019 03:32pm

Naswar is Tobacco and not bad as Gutka or other chewables.It must not be ban in local flights.

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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

Jul 01, 2019 03:32pm

Too little, too late. Were they sleeping since last 71 years?

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Ash

Jul 01, 2019 03:55pm

@Yaqoob, naswar is a bad habit. I don't understand the fuss.

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Azad J

Jul 01, 2019 04:14pm

Cigarettes should be controlled and leave naswar alone!!!!

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Nadeem orakzai

Jul 01, 2019 04:37pm

It's excellent decision as Naswar contains donkeys dung mix with tobacco to give extra pleasure to users.

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LAHORI KID

Jul 01, 2019 04:40pm

What rubbish, if it’s considered a narcotic, then when is it that you can buy it at every nook and corner of every city, every town like paan ? I travel from the United States, and I chew smokeless tobacco, we call it snuff in America, I use it all the way from Texas to Lahore in every flight, I usually fly Qatar or Emirates, and I’ll continue.

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LAHORI KID

Jul 01, 2019 04:43pm

Just do you job and make sure people aren’t opening the emergency exit doors thinking it’s lavatory, banning naswar ? The sense of priority with our institutions has been lost. Micromanaging every little thing

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Dr. Ali

Jul 01, 2019 04:44pm

It is common joke among pathans that if there is no naswar in heaven we will sit there by the gate and refuse to enter until the ban is lifted. Khan sahib you may be big in kpk but bigger than the heaven, you have lost kpk already. Next vote for anyone who blasts this notification

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Usama Khamis

Jul 01, 2019 04:49pm

Thanks Pakistan Government for taking this step.Serious actions can turn our public on right way.I also happy on applying tax on Cigarettes and other tabacoo.Our youngsters are indulging in drugs which is result to use Naswar and it is because the price of these are lower and in the range of everyone.Govt must ban these things and took huge steps for menace of drugs

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Fiqa

Jul 01, 2019 05:09pm

Should have done a long time ago

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Sami Ullah

Jul 01, 2019 05:27pm

How about cigarette?. Both are nicotinic!

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Faisal

Jul 01, 2019 06:14pm

@Yaqoob.. this ban has nothing to do with PTI or Imran khan. It’s a ban by all the middle eastern and European countries. If you take naswar to Saudia, they will catch you and put you in the jail, as naswar is considered a narcotic from now on!!

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Bhagwa

Jul 01, 2019 06:25pm

@Justicefirst, Naswar, I just found out has 28 cancer-causing agents which is high compared to cigarettes.

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Aamir

Jul 01, 2019 06:41pm

Finally!!

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Syed A. Mateen

Jul 01, 2019 06:48pm

Prior to Naswar نسوار Khashkhas خشخاس was banned in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Countries as Khashkhas was used in making drugs. Banning of taking Naswar which is commonly used by some Pathans it is also commonly used by Memon Community in addition to Gutka. It is a good news for all such passengers who fly clean with white teeth and people onboard using Naswar and Gutka are often seen spitting in the bags during the entire journey. Banning of Naswar is healthy ban for all air passengers.

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Asmat Jamal

Jul 01, 2019 06:53pm

Well Done, Very Well Done, Appreciated. Next step should be Pan, Gutka and cigarettes

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Zia

Jul 01, 2019 06:54pm

No khan can live without it including PM

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Bhaijan

Jul 02, 2019 12:59am

@Bhaarteey, Niswar is like khenee chewed by Indians in Bihar, W.Bengal. It contains Calcium Hydroxide & tobacco. The smell of niswar, khenee, alike and not good. Please don’t even try these ever.

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Kam

Jul 02, 2019 01:09am

@Yaqoob, Did what??? You want to smoke and chew drugs?? Has your brain not been fried enough already?

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saeeds

Jul 02, 2019 06:43am

@Jungraiz, Have you see anyone of those spitting at public places. I am sure it’s ban because of the filth spread by it users. Government just being nice using excuse of narcotics.

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