ISLAMABAD: Anti-tobacco advocates on Thursday alleged that tobacco industry was misleading the policymakers and public through disinformation campaigns.

During a press briefing, they urged the government not to fall for the deceptive tactics and increase the taxation on tobacco products to safeguard Pakistani youth from its harms.

Briefing was organised by Society for Protection of Rights of the Child (SPARC) and its partner organisations Pakistan National Heart Association (PANAH) and Chromatic Trust.

Chief Executive Officer Chromatic Trust Shariq Mehmood Khan told the mediapersons that whenever talk starts for increasing taxation, according to the recommendation of World Health Organisation, the tobacco industry starts misleading people about illicit trade. The industry overstates the percentage of illicit trade and blatantly hides its practices of underreporting, he alleged.

He further added that last year there was a talk of increase in tobacco taxation but the industry launched a digital media campaign to mislead the people.

Renowned celebrities were misled in producing ‘one sided, half true’ video messages which mislead the masses.

Public health consultant and tobacco control expert Dr Ziauddin Islam said that countering tobacco industry’s disinformation campaign is need of the hour.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2021