Imran Khan faces flak for accepting dam donations from international tobacco company

Health activists in Pakistan are outraged after Imran Khan met with a top-ranking official from British American Tobacco and accepted a donation cheque for construction of dams in the country.

While Imran Khan has been knocking on every possible door to ensure funds for dams in a country that stares at a massive water crisis, his decision to accept a cheque for Pakistani Rs 5 million from British American Tobacco has led to a massive outburst. Health activists say that accepting a cheque from the international tobacco company is in violation of Article 5.3 of the World Health Organisation's Framework Conven­tion on Tobacco Control. According to this, government representatives cannot meet and receive funds from tobacco companies even under Corporate Social Res­ponsi­bility (CSR).

Pakistan-based Dawn contacted several anti-tobacco organisations in the country and representative of all echoed similar views. "It is strange that the amount has been given just a month before the announcement of the federal budget," said Malik Imran of Tobacco-Free Kids.  A representative of Coali­tion for Tobacco Control Pakis­tan also said that it was strange to see a former sportsperson accept donation from a company which manufactures cancer-causing products.

There were angry outbursts on Twitter as well with many saying that Imran Khan is trying to bring water by indirectly propagating tobacco-products.