Islamabad: Rising tobacco and nicotine use among Pakistan’s youth, especially around educational institutions, emerged as the central concern at a national review session on tobacco control held by the Aurat Foundation in Islamabad.
Participants from Parliament, government departments, health organizations, and civil society warned that easy availability of cigarettes, vapes, nicotine pouches, and flavored tobacco near schools is creating a growing public health threat. The discussion also pointed to a noticeable increase in tobacco use among women, indicating a shifting trend.
The session called for stronger legislation, faster policy action, and strict enforcement to counter the rapid spread of emerging nicotine products. Speakers emphasized that existing laws remain poorly implemented due to procedural delays, weak monitoring, and limited coordination between federal and provincial bodies.
The need for clear parental awareness, community engagement, and better recognition of new nicotine products was highlighted as an essential part of early prevention. Officials noted that families and schools often remain unaware of modern products marketed to young people.
Technical briefings identified major enforcement gaps and policy loopholes that allow the tobacco industry to expand its reach. Participants noted that companies are increasingly using social media trends, entertainment content, and youth-focused marketing to promote vaping in urban areas.
Government representatives reaffirmed ongoing federal efforts to implement the Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smokers Health Ordinance 2002 and to tighten regulations where required. Provincial representatives also announced plans to introduce new resolutions to strengthen tobacco control.
Education sector officials raised alarms over the rise of nicotine products around private institutions and called for tougher regulatory checks. Regulatory authorities stressed the need for a broader social movement to counter tobacco use nationwide.
Closing the event, the Aurat Foundation reiterated its commitment to evidence-based advocacy, cross-sector collaboration, and long-term public awareness initiatives aimed at building a healthier, tobacco-free society.
ISLAMABAD: Retired bureaucrat, Tahir Hanfi’s Urdu poetic book titled Goongi Hijrat (silent migration), will be launched on Sunday October 6 in city of Parsippany in New Jersey State of USA.
Event is being organised jointly by literary organisations of New York and New Jersey. His new book highlights the dilemmas and hardships faced by immigrants living in foreign lands to earn a living for their families back home.
Hanfi started his carrier as journalist, later joined parliament and served in National Assembly for more than 32 years. He retired as additional secretary. His first poetry book Shehr-e-Narasa (In excess able City) was published in 2014.
After a protracted illness, Hanfi left for USA this week for the launch of his second book. He will be having functions in Houston, Miami, Washington DC Atlanta and New York USA during four-week book launch tour.
He visited Qatar for two days, en-route USA. A Mushaira was arranged in his honour in Doha where Hanfi drew accolades from the audience when he read his poetry.
“Goongi Hijrat (silent migration) contains my poetic work that highlights the dilemma and hardships faced by Pakistanis living overseas” Gulf Times Doha quoted him.
“One cannot be a true poet if he or she does not translate the contemporary times into emotions and then in poetic verses,” the newspaper quoted him saying.
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Speaking to the audience, comprising South Asian community after reciting his poetry in the mushaira organised in his honour by Pak Youth Society, a literary group of Pakistani expatriate, he said he has personally experienced the emotions of being out of country when he lived in the US for some years for higher studies.
His own experiences abroad and stories he heard from people living other countries for better future, motivated him to transform their hardships in his poetry. A major portion of this work would be part of his new book.
Explaining the subject matter of his new poetry book, Hanfi said: “I call it dumb or silent migration because the expatriates go through emotional, social and financial stress without expressing their feelings or fears. They kind of suffer in silence. They make no complaints and keep supporting their families back home.”
He said people who live outside Pakistan are more sensitive to what’s happening around them. In many countries they cannot even express their real feeling. In such a situation, to poetic expression can be best medium to vent out their emotions.
An avid user of modern technology, he believes medium of expression have improved over the years. People have several mediums to post their work, Facebook one of them.
(With additional input from Gulf Times and INP)
