PESHAWAR: Tobacco growers have urged the Pakistan Tobacco Board (PTB) to protect the interest of thousands of farmers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and withdraw the decision about 85 per cent pictorial health warning on cigarette packs.

A delegation of 15 tobacco farmers, headed by Sarhad Agriculture Chamber of Commerce senior vice-president Fazle Ilahi and Anjuman-e-Kashtkaraan, Hazara, president Rustam Khan, met PTB chairman Faridullah Khan here on Friday and presented their demands to him.

The growers appreciated him for raising his voice over the decision of the Federal Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination. They said that the decision would impact tobacco business in the country.

The farmers said that the ministry had recently issued an SRO under which 85 per cent graphic health warning (GHW) should cover each cigarette pack. They said that the move would adversely affect the livelihood of farmers and people associated with tobacco business.

The farmers complained that no consultation was done with them, PTB, and other stakeholders prior to passing the SRO. They claimed that the SRO was a result of pressure from foreign lobbyists. The farmers demanded of the minister concerned to “come clean” on the department’s interactions with foreign lobbyists.

They said that the new regulation would adversely affect PTB’s registered legitimate tobacco farmers. They said that it would reduce demand for tobacco leaf as a result of smuggled cigarette trade and damage the livelihoods of 75,000 farmers, 300,000 farm workers and 450,000 farm family dependents.

According to the farmers, tobacco has been cultivated over generations in KP. Farmers have invested heavily in their flue-cure barns and equipment, which is specific to tobacco cultivation. They said that sudden moves by the government would increase unemployment and the farmers would incur heavy losses on their investment. They urged the government to review the decision and withdraw the SRO.

Published in Dawn, March 14th, 2015

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