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: More than 100 Pakistan students, about half of them young women, were selected through Erasmus+, the EU flagship scholarship programme to pursue their studies in Europe for this academic year.
The Delegation of the European Union to Pakistan on Tuesday organised an event to send off the largest ever group of Pakistani student recipients of scholarships funded by the Erasmus+ programme.
Pakistani students, representing all parts of the country and hailing from various backgrounds, engaged in disciplines ranging from archology communication, development, to applied sciences including engineering, robotics, and computer sciences. They will be attending master level courses in 17 countries.
This year students will be going to 17 different European countries including Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Slovenia and the UK.
Speaking at the event held at the EU Residence, Chargé d’Affaires Anne Marchal said: “there is nothing more rewarding for a diplomat than interacting with students and youth in Pakistan. They are the future of their country and I hope that the Erasmus+ scholarships will equip them to contribute in their own way to the development of Pakistan as well as forging a better mutual understanding across regions and cultures.”
The 2019 is a special year for the EU-Pakistan relations as, further to the visit of the High Representative Federica Mogherini to Islamabad and the return visit of Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi to Brussels, a new “Strategic Engagement Plan” (SEP) has been signed, giving a new impetus to the bilateral partnership, deepening political relations and cooperation.
A whole section of the SEP is dedicated to enhancing partnerships in higher education, including academic exchanges such as those offered through scholarships and fellowships funded under the Erasmus+ programme and the Marie Sklodowska Curie Actions.
The event was an opportunity for Erasmus+ scholars to interact with representatives of EU Member States and the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan. They also met with Erasmus+ Alumni members, who shared their experiences of studying in Europe.
The European Union’s Erasmus+ programme is one of the world largest scholarship programme, with a budget EUR 14.7 billion– including EUR 1.7 billion for international non-EU students for the years 2014-2020.
The Erasmus+ programme combines all of the EU’s schemes for higher education, training, youth and sports exchanges. The mobility of students expands and promotes academic and cultural understanding at the core of which is people to people contact.
Erasmus+ is characterised by four major components: credit mobility, capacity building in higher education, a teacher training programme, and the Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Degree (EMJD). Pakistan is the 4th largest participant in Asia of the EMJMD.
