Senate repeals 'West Pakistan Juvenile Smoking' law of 1959

ISLAMABAD: The Senate on Tuesday unanimously passed ‘The West Pakistan Juvenile smoking (Repeal) Bill, 2018’, arguing that an identical new law, which is Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smokers Health Ordinance 2002, covers all the relevant provisions of juvenile smoking.

The Bill was moved by Minister for National Health Services Aamir Mehmood Kiyani. According to the Bill, the enactment of the Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smokers Health Ordinance, 2002, the said law had lost its importance and now all relevant provisions were already covered in the said Ordinance. Therefore, there was no need of retention of the West Pakistan Juvenile Smoking Ordinance, 1959.

According to the statement of objects and reasons, Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan in its report while discussing Repeal of Obsolete and Redundant Legislations’ proposed to repeal the West Pakistan Juvenile Smoking Ordinance, 1959 (Ordinance No XII of 1959) in view of Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smoker’s Health Ordinance, 2002.

In June this year, the Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination had approved the West Pakistan Juvenile Smoking (Repeal) Bill 2018. The bill repeals the West Pakistan Juvenile Smoking Ordinance 1959 that was promulgated to prevent the sale of tobacco to children under 16 years of age.

The National Health Services Ministry officials informed the committee in a meeting that after promulgation 2002 Ordinance, selling cigarettes and other smoking substances to a person under the age of 18 years is illegal. Since the 2002 Ordinance is modern and more comprehensive in its scope so the Law and Justice Commission had recommended to repeal the West Pakistan Juvenile Smoking Ordinance 1959.