There is a need to bring proper focus on efficacious implementation of tobacco control laws across the country and for curtailing sale of smuggled, duty-unpaid, and non-compliant tobacco products as more than 15 billion smuggled and duty-unpaid cigarettes are sold annually in Pakistan.

According to well-informed sources more than 15 billion smuggled and duty-unpaid cigarettes are sold annually in Pakistan and this illicit trade in cigarettes not only causes annual loss of more than Rs 10 billion to the national exchequer, but also undermines public health agenda as these tobacco products fail to comply with regulations issued by the Ministry of Health.

Most of these packs do not even carry the Urdu health warning. The regulations prohibiting consumer promotions are also blatantly violated. And flagrant disregard of anti-tobacco laws and without effective on-ground implementation of various laws, the current regulations do not fully serve the avowed public purpose of tobacco control.

It is pertinent to mention here WHO has announced that the theme for 2011 World No Tobacco Day is the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. In line with the spirit of Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, Government of Pakistan has already enacted various tobacco control measures through the Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smokers Health Ordinance 2002. The said law contains, provisions restricting Public Place Smoking, restricting Advertising and Promotion of tobacco products and prohibiting sale of cigarettes to minors.

It may be recalled here Pakistan is the 5th country in Asia, and the 26th country in the entire World, to introduce pictorial health warnings on cigarette packs under The Cigarette Printing of Warning Ordinance, 2002.