ISLAMABAD: The Young Parliamentarians Forum (YPF) of Pakistan’s National Assembly convened a meeting with the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC) at Parliament House to deliberate on enhanced tobacco control measures aimed at safeguarding youth from tobacco and nicotine products. The discussions focused on the need for joint efforts to protect young people from addiction, with particular attention to raising awareness among students, parents, and teachers.

According to National Assembly of Pakistan, the meeting was chaired by Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar, President of the Young Parliamentarians Forum, and co-chaired by Nawabzada Mir Jamal Khan Raisani, General Secretary of YPF. Participants discussed the importance of strengthening health warnings, regulating the sale and display of tobacco products near educational institutions, increasing tobacco taxation, addressing tobacco smuggling, and improving enforcement of current regulations. The emphasis was on child- and youth-focused awareness initiatives and public messaging on the health risks of tobacco use.

The Young Parliamentarians Forum and SPARC agreed to collaborate on awareness campaigns and parliamentary engagement initiatives. SPARC will provide relevant awareness materials and regional comparative analysis on graphical health warnings to Members of Parliament. A briefing session for parliamentarians will also be organized to enhance understanding of tobacco control measures.

Participants also agreed to explore engagement with the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) for youth-focused awareness content and to coordinate with relevant district authorities for effective implementation of tobacco control measures. The meeting reaffirmed the commitment of the Young Parliamentarians Forum and SPARC to strengthen tobacco control efforts and protect Pakistan’s youth from addiction to tobacco and nicotine products.