Pakistan Heart Association demands to stop media coverage of Sheikh Rasheed

Pakistan Qaumi Anjuman Qalb (PANAH) has appealed to the Electronic Media Regulator (PEMRA) to stop media coverage of former federal minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed as he smokes cigars during press conferences and this may influence the younger generation.

Qaumi Anjuman Qalb has also demanded that PEMRA issue a general directive to ban media coverage of anyone promoting smoking.

A letter issued by Panah General Secretary Sanaullah Ghaman said that the association has been working for the prevention of heart diseases since 1984.

Journalist says ‘HIV outbreak reported in Jacobabad’s Garhi Khero’

The letter added, “Asylum is aggressively campaigning against smoking as a major cause of heart disease in connection with the Heart Disease Prevention Program, as tobacco increases the risk of heart disease and many other serious diseases.” It is one of the biggest reasons.

The letter states that Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Pakistan’s leading politician, always waves a cigar and its packet during his media talks and says, “I have been the federal minister of Pakistan many times.”

“We know that the youth always follow their elders and especially famous personalities,” the letter added. By his act of waving a cigar, our young generation may think that Sheikh Rashid Ahmed became a federal minister only because of the use of a cigar and assume that it is a sign of personality and start smoking too, Pakistan. “Already 1,200 new children start smoking every day.”

Dawn Talking to Sanaullah Ghaman said that showing smoking in media is a violation of Pakistan’s anti-tobacco laws and legal action can be taken against media houses showing smoking.

He said that we also request the media to show responsibility and not give coverage to people while smoking because it gives wrong impression to the young generation.