Anti-smoking law being violated in capital

Smokers violating the law of complete ban on tobacco use at work and public places have still continued this practice in the federal capital. Citizens complained that after withdrawal of concerned Statutory Rules and Orders (SRO), all public and work places have become smoke free therefore smokers should not be allowed smoking or using tobacco in any other form in any public place.
They said individuals and offices are clearly violating the ordinance that resulted harmful effects on non-smokers. They said complete implementation of law will help protecting the health of non-smokers and make the smokers abiders of the concerned laws.
The government withdrawing SRO on designated smoking areas had totally banned smoking in any place of public work to protect the health of non-smokers.
It is pertinent to mention here that earlier, all public and private offices were allowed to designate a separate place for smokers to smoke within office premises with adequate arrangements to protect the health of non-smokers.
However, such permission was being misused as it had become practice that smokers were using places in offices other than designated areas while many offices had failed to allocate designated places for smokers.
The government had already declared some places of public work as no tobacco places included hospitals, dispensaries, and other health care establishments, educational institutions, offices, conference rooms, all domestic flights, restaurants, buses, wagons, trains, indoor stadiums, gymnasiums, lounges of airports, waiting rooms at railway stations and waiting rooms at bus stations.
When contacted an official of Ministry of Health, Tobacco Control Cell, a responsible body that makes strategies for proper implementation of non-smokers ordinance said that SRO withdrawal will help cell to have strictly check on law violators with the help of public and concerned departments.
He said a five year strategic plan of action has been formulated by the cell with focus on awareness programme for health officials, professionals, teachers, decision makers, administrative staffs etc. Health experts claimed that non-smokers who are exposed to second-hand smoke at home and workplaces have a 20 percent to 30 percent increased risk of developing lung cancer besides other health complications.
Approximately 0.1 million people die every year in Pakistan from diseases caused by tobacco. According to estimates of Pakistan Medical Society 1.8 million youth between 10 to 24 years of age are at high risk of getting cancer and other diseases from smoking.