ISLAMABAD: The Tobacco Control Cell at Pakistan’s health ministry has won a World No Tobacco Day 2021 Award from the World Health Organization, WHO announced on its website on Monday.
Every year, WHO recognizes individuals or organizations in each of the six WHO Regions for accomplishments in the area of tobacco control. This recognition takes the form of the WHO Director-General Special Recognition Award and World No Tobacco Day Awards.
Former technical head of the Health Ministry’s Tobacco Control Cell (TCC) and Focal Person for WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), Dr. Ziauddin Islam, told local media the award had been given to Pakistan due to efforts made in the last decade.
The international award will be conferred to the Ministry of National Health Services on ‘World No Tobacco Day – Commit to Quit’, which will be observed on May 31 across the globe.
“Pakistan has grabbed the global award after the significant work on tobacco control through policy making as the country has set a target of reducing the number of persons consuming tobacco products by up to 30 percent by 2025,” Dawn reported, adding that the country had also successfully implemented the model of Tobacco-Smoke Free City project under which health authorities established monitoring cells on the district level to implement steps to reduce tobacco consumption.
The statement added that Pakistan had also made 304 localities and parks smoke-free in 12 different districts, becoming the world’s first country to declare smoke-free public parks. Moreover, those selling tobacco products had been registered under the Tobacco-Smoke Free City project.
Dr. Zia said the appreciation Pakistan received from WHO was due to the result of work done toward the cause during the last 12 years.
“This has included the development of tobacco control infrastructure across the country,” he told Dawn.
Other important policies included mandating pictorial health warnings on cigarette packs and progressively increasing the size of warning, rescinding smoking designated areas, smoke-free air travel, banning the sale of loose cigarettes, banning imports and sale of sheesha, ousting tobacco industry from Committee for Tobacco Advertisement Guidelines (CTAG committee) as per the recommendation of Article 5.3, banning tobacco advertisements, banning product display at the point of sale, and development and approval of Federal Health Levy Bill 2019 by federal cabinet with the recent push to re-initiate the process of its support in the upcoming months, Zia added.
Pakistan wins WHO award for anti-tobacco campaign
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Pakistan wins WHO award for anti-tobacco campaign
- Every year, WHO recognizes individuals or organizations in each of six WHO Regions for accomplishments in tobacco control
- This recognition takes the form of WHO Director-General Special Recognition Award and World No Tobacco Day Awards
Pakistan highlights Gwadar transshipment role as shipping routes face disruption over regional tensions
- Pakistani ports possess “untapped potential” to attract global shipping lines for transshipment operations, says minister
- Pakistan eyes leveraging Gwadar as regional transshipment hub as Iran’s closure of Strait of Hormuz disrupts global maritime trade
KARACHI: Pakistan’s Maritime Affairs Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry on Thursday highlighted the importance of the port city of Gwadar’s transshipment role as major shipping routes, including the Strait of Hormuz, face disruption due to Iran’s ongoing conflict with the US and Israel in the Gulf.
The meeting takes place as Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway that lies between it and Oman. It is one of the world’s most critical oil transit routes, with roughly 20 percent of global oil supplies passing through it. Iran has vowed it will attack any ship that enters the strait, causing energy prices to rise sharply on Monday amid disruptions to tanker traffic in the waterway.
Gwadar is a deep-sea port in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province that lies close to the Strait of Hormuz. Pakistani officials have in the past highlighted Gwadar’s geostrategic position as the shortest trade route to the Gulf and Central Asia, stressing that it has the potential to become a regional transshipment hub.
Chaudhry chaired a high-level meeting of government officials to assess emerging logistical challenges facing Pakistan’s trade, particularly in the energy sector, amid tensions in the Gulf.
“Special focus was placed on fully leveraging the potential of Gwadar Port as a regional transshipment hub and positioning it as an alternative of regional instability,” Pakistan’s maritime affairs ministry said in a statement.
The minister said Pakistani ports possessed “significant untapped potential” to attract international shipping lines for transshipment operations, noting that it could also ensure long-term sustainability and growth of the country’s maritime sector.
Participants of the meeting discussed measures to strengthen Pakistan’s position as a viable alternative transit and transshipment destination, as key waterways are affected by the disruption.
The committee also reviewed proposals to amend relevant rules and regulations to facilitate international transshipment operations through on-dock and off-dock terminals.
The chairmen of the Port Qasim Authority, Karachi Port Trust and Gwadar Port Authority attended the meeting, briefing committee members on the current operational readiness of their ports. They spoke about the available capacity for container transshipment, bulk cargo handling and refueling services at Pakistani ports.
The port in Gwadar is a central part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), under which Beijing has funneled tens of billions of dollars into massive transport, energy and infrastructure projects in Pakistan.
Pakistan has long eyed the deep-sea port as a key asset that can help boost its trade with Central Asian states, the Gulf region and ensure the country earns valuable foreign exchange.
