ISLAMABAD:   The Excise, Taxation, and Narcotics Control Department, Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) in collaboration with the Ministry of National Health Services on Thursday launched an enforcement campaign for tobacco vendors’ licensing.

Addressing the event, Director Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control, Bilal Azam said the drive was launched to enforce the tobacco vendors’ act in the capital.

Under the act, tobacco retailers are bound to get licenses and follow several conditions, including not selling tobacco products to teenagers or near educational institutions, he added.

He said the Excise and Taxation office Islamabad, in collaboration with the Ministry of National Health Services’ project Tobacco-Free Islamabad issues licenses to point of sale every year.

Project Manager, Tobacco-Free Islamabad, Muhammad Aftab Ahmed, appreciated the efforts of the Islamabad administration to make the city a tobacco-free. He said the health department considers precautionary measures as its priority.

He said the campaign was aimed at controlling, regulating and discouraging the sale of tobacco. He said the civil administration in collaboration with the health ministry was determined to make Islamabad a smoke-free.

He said the World Health Organization already recognized Islamabad as a smoke-free city. The move, he said, would not only help in compiling shopkeepers’ data but also increase the revenue of the department, besides controlling tobacco sales to youth.

He said licensing of tobacco sellers has proved to be a very effective way to curb the illicit sale of cigarettes in the capital, adding before taking legal action, the excise team issues a warning to the vendors to get a license or renew the existing one within a week.

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