Pakistan collects $1.1bn from tobacco taxes as reforms slash cigarette production: WHO

#Pakistan #collects #1.1bn #tobacco #taxes #reforms #slash #cigarette #production

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has raised Rs 298 billion, about Rs 1.1 billion in tobacco taxes in 2024, which has reduced the production of cigarettes by more than 28 % after bold financial reforms, which has indicated an unusual but powerful, powerful, indicative of the country’s war against Tobacco.

However, despite this significant progress on taxation, the report warns that Pakistan is still alarmingly behind in implementing a complete spectrum of tobacco control policies.

The WHO praised the country’s recent tax increase-which was executed between 2022 and 2023-as a model of policy-based policy making. These reforms include a threefold increase in cigarette tax, double the minimum price of cigarettes in PKR 63 to PKR 127, and raising the share of taxes in retail prices.

As a result, the legal production of cigarettes increased significantly and a significant increase in public revenue, which was part of the technical cooperation between the Federal Board of Revenue and the WHO.

Nevertheless, this report paints another sharp picture of Pakistan’s tobacco efforts. While more than 75 % of the population of the world-at least one of the world’s population globally, at least one M-power measures protect the best practice at the best practice level, Pakistan is one of the 40 countries that have not implemented any single level.

The M -Power package includes six strategies: monitoring tobacco use, offering people to smoke, helping to quit, warning about tobacco risks, enforcing advertising ban, and increasing tax.

In the case of Pakistan, only the component of the “increase” has seen effective implementation, thanks to a major exchange of policy, which changes the financial memories of the years.

According to the WHO, the first tax reforms failed to stop smoking or increase the tax. 2017 move to introduce the third tax level – effectively reducing taxes on cheap cigarettes – surprisingly backfire, which costs the government only PKR 42.4 billion (US $ 353 million) in 2018 alone.

However, the new political will and technical guidance helped Pakistan abandon this reactionary policy. Who credited the Finance Minister in a budget speech of 2023 to assist the government in resisting the pressure of the tobacco industry.

Nevertheless, the country’s performance on other important steps is inadequate. While 110 countries – which are 62 % of the global population – now requires graphic health warning on tobacco packaging, Pakistan does not meet the minimum standards of size, appointment or imagery.

Similarly, anti-tobacco massive media campaigns-which are considered important to stop and end youth-have not been implemented at the best practice level in Pakistan.

South Asian neighbors such as India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have surpassed Pakistan on these fronts. For example, India has mandated graphic warnings, including 85 % of cigarette packs and has mostly banned tobacco ads. Sri Lanka has introduced simple packaging laws, while Bangladesh has intensified campaigns and public education campaigns.

Emerging tobacco risks such as e -cigarettes and nicotine pouches are also unnecessary in Pakistan, yet even those who warn young people about their aggressive marketing.

Globally, 133 countries now regulate the Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS), which imposes 42 imposed sanctions. On the contrary, Pakistan still lacks a clear legal framework.

Globally, only four countries-Brazil, Turkey, Mauritius and the Netherlands-have fully implemented the five M-power strategies at the best practice level. Since the start of the package in 2007, an estimated 300 million people are smoking today than expected trends.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Gabrieus, who is the Director General, emphasized the importance of comprehensive action. “Increasing tobacco taxes works-it saves lives and increases the tax. But countries should follow all other fronts, from health warning to smoke-free laws and educational campaigns.”

The WHO’s 2025 report has made it clear that when Pakistan’s recent tax reforms offer a template for progress, the fighting is far away. Without a strong legislation on packaging, advertising, public education, and ending support, the country suffers from planning to the tobacco industry. And so he has the health of the people.