PESHAWAR, March 11: An ordinance banning smoking in public places and tobacco's sale to minors is yet to be implemented despite the passage of a year and a half.

The Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smokers Health Ordinance 2002 was promulgated on Oct 15, 2002 but the people continue to smoke cigarettes in public places causing harm to the health of non-smokers.

The ordinance also banned the sale of cigarettes in or near educational institutions but their sales continues within the University of Peshawar. Cigarette-sellers argue that they had no information about the ordinance, which was why they were entertaining their customers.

Similarly, bus drivers also expressed unawareness about the ordinance, saying: "It is the job of the police to ban smoking in vehicles, not ours." The ordinance empowered any authorised officer or a police officer not below the rank of sub-inspector to eject any person from any place of public work or use who contravened its provisions.

According to the ordinance, the government may issue guidelines for permitting designated smoking areas but it also remain far from being implemented.