Back in January, I wrote about media stories appearing at the time, which not only made unfounded accusations about trusted global health organizations working legally in Pakistan, but which also sought to undermine the evidence-based tobacco control movement, which is saving millions of lives around the world. This movement could save even more lives and prevent needless suffering if ill-intentioned and uninformed critics stop echoing the arguments of tobacco companies.

According to the World Health Organization, tobacco use kills over 163,000 Pakistanis every year. Tobacco use – perpetuated by addiction to the nicotine found in cigarettes and other tobacco and nicotine products like heated tobacco products and e-cigarettes – has proven links to conditions like heart disease, lung disease and cancer. Around 24 million adults in Pakistan use tobacco products, 15.6 million smoke tobacco and 7.6 million use smokeless products.

To be abundantly clear, critics of tobacco control in Pakistan are echoing the talking........

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