By Adnan Hameed TWA ______ World Heart Day is being celebrated all over the world today with the aim of making people aware of the prevention of heart diseases. Pakistan National Heart Association (PANAH) organized an event in this regard today at the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology (AFIC) with the aim of educating our countrymen about the prevention of heart diseases. Addressing the event, President PANAH Maj Gen (R) Masood Ur Rahman Kiani said that heart disease is increasing at an alarming rate in Pakistan. More than 240,720 people die annually in Pakistan due to heart diseases. To reduce heart diseases we need to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Make walking and exercise a routine, avoid stress, control obesity, avoid smoking and eat a healthy diet. Excessive consumption of unhealthy foods such as sugar, salt, fat and fried foods is one of the major causes of heart diseases. Eat more vegetables and fruits in your diet and avoid heart disease. Maj. Gen. Naseer Ahmed Samor said that every year in the world 18 Million people die of heart diseases. Today, on the occasion of World Heart Day, we must reiterate that we should adopt a healthy lifestyle. Make exercise a routine and be careful with your food choices. Col. Shakeel Mirza said that non-communicable diseases including heart, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer and kidney diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide. According to the 2021 report of the Diabetes Federation, 3.3 million people are living with diabetes in Pakistan and Pakistan has become the third largest country in the world in terms of people suffering from diabetes and the rapid increase of this disease in Pakistan is the first in the world. The risk of heart disease increases in diabetic patients. Sana Ullah Ghumman, General Secretary PANAH, said that non-communicable diseases have become a serious challenge for our health as well as our livelihood. The annual cost of diabetes alone is estimated at more than 2.6 billion US dollars. In addition to educating people about heart and related diseases, the shelter is also working with the government to introduce legislation that will reduce the number of diseases. Recent lobbying efforts have increased taxes on unhealthy sugary drinks and tobacco to reduce consumption, but more needs to be done. PANAH is now working with the government on front-of-pack labeling of unhealthy items to give people a better understanding of what they are eating. He said that civil society, government, journalists, health professionals and all active sections of the society have to work together for a healthy Pakistan.