Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) has urged all satellite television channels to abstain from airing programmes, dramas, movies, advertisements or any content where smoking is presented as an acceptable, casual and ordinary activity being indulged in by models, actors or prominent personalities.
The Pemra has taken the initiative in response to a letter on the said issue, sent to it by Secretary Health Khushnood Lashari. The content of the letter by the Health Secretary says that during the past few decades smoking has become a socially unacceptable activity and is recognised as a health hazard, but young people get lured into the habit when exposed to programmes where actors are shown smoking.
He requested Pemra to instruct the management of all television channels and production houses to strictly refrain from such incidental advertising of tobacco. The Secretary Health has also urged Pemra to disallow interviews of celebrities who smoke during the course of the programme.
The Pemra has issued instructions for implementation of tobacco control laws in television dramas, movies, programmes, and all other content. "The media must play its role in educating the masses about the horrors being inflicted upon them on account of tobacco use," states the letter sent to all satellite channels.
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