February 13, 2026, Islamabad(Ghufran): A delegation of the Pakistan National Heart Association (PANAH) meet with Parliamentary Secretary for Commerce Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti in his office. The delegation included General Secretary PAHAN Sanaullah Ghumman, Vice President Ghulam Abbas and former Commissioner FBR Abdul Hafeez.
During the meeting, the delegation gave a detailed briefing on the alarming rise in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart diseases, diabetes, cancer and respiratory diseases in Pakistan. The delegation emphasized that smoking and unhealthy diets are among the major reasons for the spread of these diseases. Delegation clarified that these diseases has become heavy burden not only on public health but also on the national economy, leading to serious problems such as health expenditure and reduced productivity.
The delegation demanded from the Parliamentary Secretary that in view of protecting public health, sugar and ghee should be removed from the list of essential commodities under subsidy so as not to encourage unhealthy diets. Furthermore, they also requested for a ban on shisha, e-cigarettes and other new tobacco products so that the younger generation can be protected from these harmful health trends. PANAH expressed the hope that the government would take practical steps to control the growing burden of non-communicable diseases through effective and sustainable policy measures so as to lay the foundation for a healthy and vibrant Pakistan.
Parliamentary Secretary Mr. Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti listened carefully to the suggestions of the delegation and assured his full cooperation and support for the promotion of public health. He said that a large portion of Pakistan’s population consists of youth and it is necessary for the government to take immediate policy action for their healthy future.