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ISLAMABAD, Nov 28 (APP):Parliamentary Secretary for Education and Professional Training Farah Naz Akbar has described the growing availability of drugs, nicotine products around educational institutions as direct threat to the safety of young people.
She expressed these views while addressing a multi-stakeholder dialogue on Tobacco Advertising, Promotion and Sponsorship (TAPS), organized by the Aurat Foundation late Thursday.
She termed the rapid rise in smoking among youth, in particular, a new and deeply alarming public-health challenge.
She said: “Parliament has a responsibility to translate public-health concerns into effective legislation. We cannot allow bureaucratic inertia or policy-level delays to endanger the health of young Pakistanis.”
She reaffirmed that strong laws, robust enforcement mechanisms, and cross-sectoral cooperation are essential to curb the spread of tobacco and emerging nicotine products.
Member of Provincial Assembly of the Punjab Shazia Rizwan highlighted the central role of families in preventing addiction, stressing that prevention begins at home.
She said parents are the first line of defense and that awareness and supervision significantly reduce the risk of early addiction.
She also noted the urgent need to educate communities about modern products such as vapes, nicotine pouches, and flavored tobacco, calling for comprehensive awareness campaigns for parents.
Member of Provincial Assembly of the Punjab Tanveer Aslam Raja emphasized the need for an active, accountable, and responsible bureaucratic system to ensure effective implementation of existing laws.
Muhammad Aftab Ahmed, a representative of the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to the effective enforcement of the Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smokers’ Health Ordinance, 2002, outlining ongoing policy, legislative, and enforcement measures.
Former Member of the National Assembly and prominent tobacco-control expert Dr. Nisar Ahmad Cheema emphasized that long-term reforms require public accountability and grassroots mobilization.
Dr. Barira Bakhtawar, a communications specialist from the Ministry of Planning and Development, Hajira Zakir Shah, representative of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), Member of Punjab Assembly Tahira Mushtaq, Waqas Mahmood Kayani, Member Registration, ICT Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PEIRA), among others also spoke on the occasion.
The meeting brought together members of national and provincial assemblies, government officials, representatives of the education sector, public-health experts, and civil-society actors, who discussed their respective roles in tobacco control and youth protection.