Sialkot Chamber of Commerce inks MoU to join hands for a smoke free model city
We will work together to make future generations tobacco-free, Sialkot Chamber of Commerce, Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHSRC) and Tobacco Control Cell Deputy Commissioner’s Office Sialkot will make Sialkot a smoke free model district of the country, These views were expressed by Mian Imran Akbar, President Sialkot Chamber of Commerce, while addressing the signing ceremony of Memorandum of Understanding .
The MoU signing ceremony was held at Sialkot Chamber of Commerce where it was signed by representatives of Sialkot Chamber of Commerce, Ministry of NHSRC and Tobacco Control Cell Sialkot.
Speaking on the occasion, Chamber President further said that we are grateful to NHSRC and Tobacco Control Cell Sialkot for drawing our attention to this important issue, The loss of 160,000 people annually is a national tragedy, Sialkot is known all over the world as a sports goods manufacturing city and Now it will also be known as a tobacco smoke free model city.
At the signing ceremony of MOU with Sialkot Chamber of Commerce, Additional Deputy Commissioner Sialkot Farooq Akmal appreciated the MOU described it as a welcome step for the citizens of Sialkot.
He further said that this MoU is a positive step towards a beautiful combination of public-private partnership and making Sialkot tobacco smoke-free.
Civilized nations find solutions to their problems through mutual cooperation for healthy activities of their country, nation and youth, He congratulated the President Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and assured for the support of Tobacco Control Cell, Deputy Commissioner’s Office Sialkot .
Briefing the participants on the occasion, Project Manager Muhammad Aftab Ahmed said that more than 800,000 people are killed worldwide every year due to tobacco use and More than 7 million of these deaths are due to direct tobacco use, and about 1.2 million non-smokers are affected by second-hand smoke.
He added that, Tobacco kills 160,000 people every year in Pakistan, This number is 438 daily, However, 1,200 Pakistani children between the ages of 6 and 12 smoke daily, which is a moment of concern.
Under the MOU large scale awareness programs and seminars will be organized for smoking free Sialkot. All Sialkot factories, schools, colleges, all government offices, health centers, hotels / restaurants, cafeterias, dhabas and dining places, court buildings, cinema halls, conference or seminar halls, public transport vehicles, sports facilities would be smoke free and smoke free signage will be fixed at all public places. Later, Sialkot Chamber of Commerce building has been declared as a smoke free zone after the inauguration of no smoking signage.
