ISLAMABAD  -  The public health ad­vocates have issued a compelling plea for an immediate expansion of Graphic Health Warn­ings (GHW) on tobacco products within the country. In a statement issued by the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC), these activists have conveyed profound apprehension regarding the devastating impact of tobacco consump­tion on public health, particularly among children. They contend that fortified GHWs can assume a pivotal role in diminishing tobacco usage and averting as­sociated health hazards. Malik Imran Ahmed, the Country Head of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), has emphasized the urgen­cy for Pakistan to take immediate measures to augment the size and visibility of GHWs on tobacco products. The prevailing health warning, currently set at 60%, frequently goes unnoticed by consum­ers, including vulnera­ble children, owing to its diminutive dimensions and discreet placement. 

It’s worth noting that Pakistan’s neighbour­ing countries such as India, Sri Lanka, Ne­pal, the Maldives, and Myanmar have adopt­ed significantly larger GHWs. Imran has rec­ommended increas­ing the GHW size to encompass a minimum of 85% of the primary display areas of ciga­rette packs and other tobacco products.