Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali inaugurated the “Smoke Free Pakistan” mobile application that is available on Google and this mobile application helps users to upload not only the picture of the smokers but also the location which will be processed under the relevant act.
The “Smoke Free Pakistan ” App was inaugurated during the Tobacco Control Task Force meeting held at DC Office.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Finance Afifa Shajia, Additional Deputy Commissioner General Umar Maqbool, Secretary RTA Zameer Hussain, Project Manager Muhammad Aftab Ahmed, Sadiq Al Hassan, Punjab Police, Traffic Police, Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Punjab Food Authority, Excise & Taxation. Pakistan Railways and representatives of other departments were present. Briefing the meeting of Tobacco Control Task Force, Project Director Tobacco Smoke Free Cities, Ministry of National Health, Minhajul Siraj said that hundreds of people are dying every day due to smoking in Pakistan while more than one thousand children are starting to smoke daily. The DC urged that smoking can lead to other diseases including cancer, so there was a need to increase public awareness about avoiding the use of cigarettes, cigars, Sheesha, and other tobacco products for health protection.He said that prohibited smoking at public points and offices should be implemented with relevant laws and the smoking free awareness-raising events should be held regularly. Participants on the occasion demanded that heavy fines be imposed on those selling cigarettes under the age of 18 besides should banned the sale of cigarettes within 50 meters of educational institutions.
