Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi has said that like environmental degradation, smoking poses a threat to human lives.

Addressing an event in connection with creating awareness amongst children about the harms of smoking in Islamabad on Tuesday, he emphasized that the effects of smoking are evident in our daily lives.

Murtaza Solangi pointed out that smoking also increases costs in the health sector, stressing that like other harmful substances, smoking should also be highlighted.

The Information Minister said that smoking is a disease that claims one person's life every six seconds on average and kills one in ten persons.

Paying tribute to the heroes involved in the struggle against smoking, he underscored the necessity of increasing taxes on tobacco to discourage its use.