- Advertisement -
ISLAMABAD, Nov 14 (APP):The Tobacco Industry Interference (TII) Index 2025 has appreciated the performance of the Tobacco Control Cell (TCC) at the Ministry of National Health Services.
According to a report released by the Society for Alternative Media and Research (SAMAR) on Friday, the cell successfully resisted intense lobbying by the tobacco industry aimed at weakening existing tobacco control laws and described the efforts of cell as a significant example of institutional resilience.
The report claimed that Pakistan has improved its position on the 2025 Tobacco Industry Interference (TII) Index as Pakistan now ranks 33rd out of 100 countries, compared to 32nd out of 90 in 2023.
The Index also suggested adopting a formal Code of Conduct in line with Article 5.3 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
SAMAR recommended that the Tobacco Control Cell should lead and monitor the code’s implementation to ensure transparency across all sectors.
At the launch event, SAMAR Executive Director and senior journalist Mazhar Arif called the report timely and said it would help Pakistan prepare for the upcoming COP and MOP meetings.
He reaffirmed SAMAR’s commitment to supporting the government and civil society in protecting public health policies from industry influence.
The event was attended by officials and health experts, including Director Tobacco Control Cell Dr Nadia Nooreen, Project Manager TCC Aftab Ahmad, tobacco control specialists, and civil society members.