Islamabad: A meeting held at the Parliament House between the Parliamentary Caucus on Child Rights (PCCR) and the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC) focused on enhancing tobacco control measures to protect children. The discussions centered on increasing awareness and improving regulations concerning tobacco and emerging nicotine products.

According to the National Assembly of Pakistan, the meeting was chaired by Mr. Danyal Chaudhary, the Parliamentary Secretary for Information and Broadcasting and Federal Coordinator of PCCR. Mr. Chaudhary emphasized the importance of a coordinated approach to shielding children from tobacco products, including vaping and nicotine pouches. He stressed the need for awareness among children, parents, and teachers.

The meeting explored several strategies, such as strengthening health warnings, regulating tobacco sales near educational institutions, increasing tobacco taxes, addressing smuggling, and enforcing current regulations. Participants also highlighted the necessity of child-focused awareness campaigns and effective public messaging on the health risks of tobacco use.

PCCR and SPARC agreed to collaborate on awareness and parliamentary engagement initiatives. SPARC will provide relevant materials and comparative analyses on graphical health warnings to Members of Parliament. Additionally, a briefing session for parliamentarians will be organized to enhance their understanding of tobacco control measures.

The participants also agreed to engage with the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) for developing child-focused awareness content and to work with district authorities for effective implementation of tobacco control measures. The meeting reaffirmed the commitment of both PCCR and SPARC to strengthening efforts to protect children from tobacco and nicotine addiction.