Islamabad, August 13, 2026: The Young Parliamentarians Forum (YPF) of the National Assembly of Pakistan held a meeting with the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC) at Parliament House to discuss stronger tobacco control measures aimed at protecting young people from tobacco and emerging nicotine products, including vaping and nicotine pouches.
The meeting was chaired by Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar, MNA and President of the Young Parliamentarians Forum, and co-chaired by Nawabzada Mir Jamal Khan Raisani, General Secretary of YPF.
Participants discussed the need for coordinated efforts to protect young people from tobacco and nicotine addiction, with particular emphasis on raising awareness among students, parents and teachers about the health risks associated with tobacco and emerging nicotine products.
The discussions focused on strengthening health warnings, regulating the sale and display of tobacco products around educational institutions, increasing tobacco taxation, tackling tobacco smuggling and improving enforcement of existing regulations.
Participants also stressed the need for child- and youth-focused awareness campaigns and stronger public messaging to discourage tobacco use among young people.
It was agreed that YPF and SPARC would collaborate on awareness and parliamentary engagement initiatives. SPARC will provide Members of Parliament with relevant awareness materials and regional comparative analysis on graphical health warnings.
The two sides also agreed to organise a dedicated briefing session for parliamentarians to enhance their understanding of tobacco control policies and effective regulatory measures.
Participants further agreed to explore engagement with the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) for youth-focused awareness content and coordinate with relevant district authorities to improve implementation and enforcement of tobacco control measures.
The meeting reaffirmed the commitment of the Young Parliamentarians Forum and SPARC to strengthening tobacco control efforts and protecting Pakistan’s youth from tobacco and nicotine addiction.
