A delegation from the Pakistan National Heart Association (PANAH) met Parliamentary Secretary for Commerce Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti in Islamabad to press for urgent policy measures on public health. The delegation included General Secretary Sanaullah Ghumman, Vice President Ghulam Abbas and former FBR commissioner Abdul Hafeez.
The group presented a detailed briefing on the alarming rise of non-communicable diseases in Pakistan, highlighting heart disease, diabetes, cancer and respiratory illnesses as growing threats. They warned that smoking and unhealthy dietary habits are driving the increase, creating a heavy burden on both the health system and the national economy through rising treatment costs and reduced workforce productivity.
To curb this trend, PANAH urged the government to remove sugar and ghee from the list of essential commodities receiving subsidies so that unhealthy diets are not incentivized. The delegation also called for immediate bans on shisha, e-cigarettes and other emerging tobacco products to shield the younger generation from new addiction pathways that fuel non-communicable diseases.
Parliamentary Secretary Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti received the proposals attentively and assured the delegation of his support for public health initiatives. He stressed the demographic reality that a large portion of Pakistan’s population is youth and said policy action is needed now to secure a healthier future. PANAH expressed hope that these recommendations will translate into concrete, sustainable steps to slow the rise of non-communicable diseases and strengthen Pakistan’s long-term health prospects.
