Tobacco-related diseases claim the lives of approximately 164,000 people annually in Pakistan: Speakers
DLP Report
PESHAWAR
Civil society organization Blue Veins and the Provincial Alliance for Sustainable Tobacco Control (PASTC) have voiced grave concerns over the ineffective implementation of tobacco control laws in Pakistan, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), warning that the lack of enforcement is contributing to thousands of preventable deaths each year.
According to estimates, tobacco-related diseases claim the lives of approximately 164,000 people annually in Pakistan, while exposure to second-hand smoke causes an additional 33,000 deaths. Advocates stressed that these fatalities are preventable and demand immediate and effective government action.
Pakistan is a signatory to the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which obligates state institutions to take strong preventive measures against tobacco use and to protect the public from its harms. However, activists noted that Pakistan has failed to fully implement key provisions of the treaty—particularly Article 5.3, which limits tobacco industry interference in policymaking, and Article 8, which mandates the protection of the public from tobacco smoke.
While the KP government has developed a roadmap and action plan for tobacco control, its implementation has been severely hindered by inadequate financial resources, weak institutional coordination, and lack of effective monitoring. Though divisional Tobacco Control Committees have recently been approved under the chairmanship of respective Commissioners, these bodies have yet to be operationalized.
“The tobacco mortality rate in Pakistan is unacceptable,” said Hafiz Zeb, Advocacy Lead at Blue Veins. “Every day of inaction results in more preventable deaths. KP has a policy framework, but lacks the resources and political will to implement it.”
Dr. Qazi Shahbaz, Chairman of the Provincial Doctors Association and a member of PASTC, emphasized the urgency of the situation: “We must treat tobacco use as a public health emergency. The FCTC is not just a treaty—it’s a life-saving global agreement. Full implementation is essential to reduce disease burden and alleviate pressure on our health systems.”
Both organizations urged the KP government to immediately activate the divisional Tobacco Control Committees, allocate sufficient funding for the implementation of the Tobacco Control Action Plan, and ensure strict adherence to all provisions of the FCTC.
