ISLAMABAD, May 31 (APP): Minister for Health Mir Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani said Sunday the government was committed to providing Tobacco free environment at public places including government and private offices, restaurants, airports, railways stations. He was addressing at a seminar held to mark World No Tobacco Day jointly oraganised by Health Ministry and World Health Organization here.

The minister said all railway stations would be smoke‑free from July 1. After PIA, Pakistan Railways would be second public transport organization to become tobacco free, he added.

He said from January 1, 2010, all cigarette packs and the outlets would carry pictorial warnings. “ We realize that with low literacy, people need to be pictorially warned of the health risks of smoking,” he added.

The minister said that no tobacco company would be allowed to offer free goods, cash rebates, or discounts as a marketing incentive to cigarette buyers from July 1.

Heavy penalties would be awarded to the violators, he added.  Ijaz Hussin said that Tobacco control cell of the ministry was being strengthened to ensure tobacco‑free Pakistan.

He said they were also working with education ministry to develop lessons about the hazards of smoking for the school curriculum.

He said the government promulgated Smoking ordinance 2002 to prevent the public from the harmful effects of tobacco and its products.

Speaking on the occasion Director General Implementation Tobacco Control Cell Shaheen Masood gave a detailed presentation about the ill‑effects of tobacco on human being.

She said tobacco kills more than five million people every year and only 37% of smokers knew that smoking causes chronary heart disease.

Acting Country Representative WHO called for need of more effective health warnings on tobacco packages, asking the governments to require that all packages include pictorial warnings to show the sickness and suffering caused by tobacco use.

He said effective health warnings, especially those that include pictures, have been proven to motivate users to quit and to reduce the appeal of tobacco for those who were not yet addicted.

Later, the minister gave shield to Dr Javeed Khan for his valuable service to control tobacco.