ISLAMABAD, October 9, 2026: Vice chancellors, rectors and heads of higher education institutions from across Pakistan have signed a landmark Charter for Tobacco and Nicotine-Free Campuses, committing universities to stronger action against smoking, vaping and recreational nicotine use among students.
The Charter was adopted during the fifth monthly meeting of the Vice Chancellors and Rectors Forum, hosted by COMSATS University Islamabad at its Islamabad campus.
University leaders and representatives from Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir attended the meeting, which also focused on wider academic, regulatory and financial challenges facing the country’s higher education sector.
Charter Targets Smoking, Vaping and Nicotine Products
The new framework aims to move participating universities towards 100 percent tobacco, smoke, vape and recreational nicotine-free campuses.
It covers conventional tobacco products as well as emerging alternatives, including electronic cigarettes, vaping devices, heated tobacco products and nicotine pouches.
Under the Charter, participating universities have committed to progressively eliminating tobacco and recreational nicotine use from their campuses while promoting student-led awareness campaigns, research, institutional monitoring and annual assessments of progress.
The Forum also agreed to send a joint letter, along with the signed Charter, to the Prime Minister of Pakistan through the Chairman of the Higher Education Commission, seeking national-level policy support.
University Leaders Call for Collective Action
Welcoming participants, COMSATS University Islamabad Rector Prof. Dr. Raheel Qamar stressed the responsibility of university leadership in responding to rapidly changing social and technological challenges.
He also highlighted the impact of artificial intelligence and its convergence with emerging technologies such as quantum computing, particularly in scientific discovery, knowledge creation and the future of higher education.
Beyond the public-health initiative, university leaders held discussions on broader issues affecting higher education institutions, including academic, regulatory and financial pressures.
Senior Higher Education Leaders Attend Forum
Participants included senior officials and heads from Air University, Alhamd Islamic University, Bahria University, Northern University, City University Islamabad, COMSATS University Islamabad, FAST-National University, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Federal Urdu University, Health Services Academy, HITEC University, Iqra University, National Skills University, NUTECH, PAF-IAST, PIEAS, Preston University, SZABIST University, Virtual University of Pakistan and Women University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting concluded with a renewed commitment to institutional cooperation, evidence-based policymaking and collective advocacy for higher education reforms.