National Highways and Motorway Police (NH&MP) has joined hands with the Ministry of Health for control of tobacco use in the country. A three-day awareness campaign on hazards of tobacco use begins from Monday throughout the country. In this regard, the NH&MP has made an extensive programme to set up special camps at 57 Toll Plazas on Motorways and National Highways, so that a mass awareness campaign through display of public service messages and distribution of the awareness material to the commuters travelling on roads.
A special ceremony was arranged at Motorway Toll Plaza, Islamabad on Monday where Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Motorway Dr Muhammad Shafiq and Deputy DG Health Dr Minhaj-us-Siraj started the three-day anti-tobacco campaign by distributing pamphlets among the commuters travelling on Motorway.
The DIG said that throughout the world an estimated 50,00,000 people die annually from tobacco related diseases. In Pakistan 274 per day and an estimated 100,000 Pakistanis die every year from tobacco related diseases. More than 5,000 people are being hospitalised daily due to use of tobacco.
He also said that NH&MP intends to create special awareness among youth as an estimated 1,200 Pakistani children under the age of 15 years begin smoking every day. As per report in urban areas every four males, one was smoking cigarette, whereas currently out of two males one is smoking cigarette. DIG further said that 15-20 percent of upper class and 30-40 percent of middle/lower class are smoking cigarette.
He said that all the toll plazas on Karachi to Peshawar Highway, Makran Coastal Highway, RCD Highway Quetta Murree Express way and on all the Motorways have been made special camps where special pamphlets are being distributed among the commuters, as NH&MP's basic responsibility is to save the lives of people. He also mentioned that NH&MP will highlight the hazard of tobacco use through FM Radio and on its mobile education units.
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