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.MULTAN: Indus River swells as the flood devastation has continued to escalate across Punjab and Sindh, with major rivers breaching embankments and displacing millions.
Rising water levels from the Indus River at Guddu Barrage have now triggered a high-level flood warning, with downstream areas at imminent risk.
The floodwaters are now surging south toward Sindh. The province, which faced catastrophic flooding in 2022, is once again under threat. The Indus River at Guddu Barrage is seeing flows rise to 537,000 cusecs—classified as a high-level flood. By September 15, extremely high flood conditions are expected.
Water levels are also increasing at Sukkur and Kotri Barrages, with Sukkur recording inflows of 460,000 cusecs and a low-level flood at Kotri. In Rajanpur and Chachran Sharif, water levels continue to rise, reaching 11.4 feet.
The flood surge from Head Panjnad has reached Kot Mithan, intensifying the crisis in nearby katcha areas.
Although the flow at Head Panjnad has decreased to 633,000 cusecs, it remains at an extremely high flood level. In Ali Pur’s katcha region of Malan Wali, residents have been forced to relocate due to encroaching waters.
In Punjab, the River Chenab has already caused widespread destruction in Jalalpur Pirwala and has now moved towards Shujabad. A 250-foot breach in a protective embankment near Shujabad has allowed floodwaters to advance toward the city, submerging dozens of villages and forcing thousands to flee their homes.
In the village of Dhowandho, a collapsed embankment has resulted in 138 settlements being submerged. Crops in Basti Ga Garan have been completely destroyed, and mass displacement is ongoing.
The situation remains dire in the suburbs of Alipur and Sitpur, where thousands of acres of farmland have been inundated. In Liaqatpur, 21 villages have been directly impacted by the floodwaters.
In village 86-M near Jalalpur Pirwala, a rescue operation has been completed under the supervision of Punjab’s senior minister, Maryam Aurangzeb. However, other areas such as Bahawalpur, Dunyapur, and Shehr Sultan report dire shortages of food and clean water. Over 100 villages in Bahawalpur’s rural belt are currently underwater.
In Lodhran, two protective dikes failed, leading to the inundation of populated areas. Rescue operations using drones were deployed to extract stranded residents.
Overall, the recent floods in Punjab have affected nearly 5,000 villages, with over 100 fatalities confirmed.
More than 4.5 million people across the province have been impacted, with over 2.45 million evacuated to safer areas.
In the Ravi River, water levels are slowly dropping at Head Sidhnai, but a moderate flood warning remains in place. The Sutlej River is also showing signs of decline, with water flow at Ganda Singh Wala dropping by 78,000 cusecs. However, low- to moderate-level flood alerts persist at Head Sulaimanki and Head Islam.
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