If one happens to drive through Zamzama in Defence, it would be very hard for them to not notice the cafes and restaurants that have sprung up on that street. The increased number of these cafes and restaurants is mainly due to one reason that for Karachites eating out is the second definition of entertainment. Their excursion outside home is incomplete unless they eat out, be it with family or friends. Restaurants; when you are eating out with family and cafes when you are hanging out with friends and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. However the point of concern is that there are more cafes in Karachi than there are restaurants, and almost all of these cafes sell Sheesha’s.
Numerous articles have been written on the harmful impact of Sheesha on our health by renowned doctors and health specialists, and yet smoking Sheesha continues to be a common practice for our youth. It is the same case as that of cigarettes; despite their harmful impact they are smoked by a very large number of people. Sheesha, however finds its popularity among the youth. And unlike cigarettes, they come in different flavors, you name it, and these cafes will have that particular flavor for you.
The common business objective is to sell whatever is in demand, and to meet customer satisfaction but when the customers, in this case, the youth, are unable to make the right decisions or need some guidance, it becomes the responsibility of the commercial sector and those at its forefront to suggest the right choice and for these cafes the right choice should be to cut off Sheesha from their menu. Compromise has to be made for their corporate social responsibility.
Youth makes 35% of total population of Pakistan, on whom actually the nation is dependent. Pakistan is already dealing with a lot of other problems, and now it has to face this new menace. Lately it has been only the hobby of boys but now girls have joined them too. Numbers of teen female smokers increased rapidly, who actually belong to the well-off backgrounds, and consider smoking as a fashion, unaware of the medical complications they might have to face.
On the other hand unawareness of the guardian helps these teens to be more independent and to make more choices for themselves. It is very hard to change the mind of the youth but the government of Pakistan should ban the Sheesha so the youth can be more attentive and vigilant toward their future.
MEHJABBEEN ABBASSI,
Karachi, November 8.