islamabad
\nA large group of premium tobacco producers and workers from a few tobacco growers\u2019 countries, Colombia, Panama, Honduras and Nicaragua, have protested on February 5th in front of the Panama Convention Centre where the tenth Conference of the Parties (COP) of the World Health Organization\u2019s (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), is currently taking place.
\nThe FCTC aims at protecting present and future generations from the impact of tobacco consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke by reducing both demand and supply of tobacco. Article 17 of the Convention requires parties to promote economically viable alternatives to tobacco. It states that \u201cParties shall, in cooperation with each other and with competent international and regional intergovernmental organizations, promote, as appropriate, economically viable alternatives for tobacco workers, growers and, as the case may be, individual sellers.\u201d
\nAt the protest, farmers denounced the \u201cexclusion\u201d and the \u201clack of transparency\u201d in the WHO\u2019s decisions about tobacco growing measures. They demand \u201crespect for a tradition that dates back more than 500 years\u201d.
\nThey have also called for \u00abcommon sense\u201d to find viable solutions and consensus regarding the policies without risking millions of families\u2019 livelihoods.
\n\u201cThe cultural influence of premium cigar production goes beyond the process. It is an integral part of our family and community values, as well as our legacy and our own history,\u201d they alerted.
\nThe concerns are also shared among tobacco growers in Pakistan
\nIn Pakistan, tobacco growing has been a backbone of the economy, historically generating significant share of the export revenue.
\nGrowers in Pakistan fear that the FCTC ratification could be Pakistan\u2019s economic suicide. However, they hope that Pakistan being part of the discussions will offer viable economic solutions as the livelihood of millions of families and domestic economy will be impacted if tobacco production is terminated,
\nFawad Khan, Spokesperson for Mustehkam Pakistan, an advocacy platform to safeguard interests of marginalized and low income communities, said, Farmers primarily responsible to grow tobacco will resort to suicide if FCTC continue to ratify its stance on tobacco. Pakistan tobacco sector currently contributes more than $1 billion in taxes which the government desperately needs to manage its IMF arrangement.
\n\u201cGrow Food, Not Tobacco\u201d \u2013 was the 2023 WHO\u2019s World No Tobacco Day Theme. There is growing recognition that diversifying away from tobacco farming can contribute to progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals in lower- and middle-income countries. However, diversification projects are often limited in scope and impact because structural barriers to tobacco diversification make it easier to challenge them.
\nMushfiq Khan, a tobacco grower and Head of All Pakistan Tobacco Farmer association also mentioned, reduction of demand and supply of tobacco will cause a loss to the national exchequer and will result in tobacco farmers resorting to criminal activities to make a living. Pakistan corruption and crime index is already in the amongst the top 10 countries and this will further escalate the crisis Pakistan is going through.
\nIn all cases, tobacco growers consider that they should not be excluded from the discussions and should be invited to sit at the table when their future is being discussed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
islamabad A large group of premium tobacco producers and workers from a few tobacco growers\u2019 countries, Colombia, Panama, Honduras and Nicaragua, have protested on February 5th in front of the Panama Convention Centre where the tenth Conference of the Parties (COP) of the World Health Organization\u2019s (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), is currently […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-385981","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-business"},"yoast_head":"\n