ISLAMABAD, Nov 5: The law enforcing agencies have failed to enforce the ban on smoking in public places of the twin cities of Rawalpindi-Islamabad despite the orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

During a survey, people said that smoking has become inexorable practice for the law enforcing agencies and is still being practised in various public places including hospitals, government offices, education institutions and public transports.

People of various segments of the society urged the law enforcing agencies to take notice of smoking in public places and ensure ban over it.

They regretted that smokers even at the waiting rooms of the OPDs of various private and government hospitals smoke, endangering lives of other people while hospital administrations never try to stop it.

Dr Muneebur Rehman said that there is a need of awareness drive to educate the public not to smoke in the public places specially hospitals. “Smoking causes cancer and heart diseases and has an adverse impact on the lives and health of the nearby people,” he said.

Sajid Iqbal, a college lecturer, commented that it was impossible to ban smoking unless the people themselves recognize it as an ‘anti-social practice’.

He said that teenagers, mostly students, take cigarette as a part of the fashion in vogue — just to have some impression over their peer groups — despite ban by the administrations of the educational institutions.

Salima Aslam complaint that lady commuters always used to travel in public transports in the front seats and they are the frequent ‘victims of the smoking’ as the drivers of the public transports exempted themselves from the judgment of the court.

She urged the law enforcing agencies to ensure ban over smoking in public transports and take strict action against the violators.

The people of various segments of the society were unanimous on urging the law enforcing agencies to ensure ban over smoking in public places and take action against the violators of the decision of the apex court.—PPI