Islamabad: Private health organizations working in Pakistan have demanded a significant increase in taxes on cigarettes in the upcoming budget.
The Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) and SPARC have proposed raising cigarette taxes, describing tobacco use as one of the most serious health challenges facing the country.
According to their report, more than 192,000 deaths occur annually in Pakistan due to tobacco consumption.
The economic burden of tobacco-related diseases has reached Rs 1,835 billion, while revenue collected from cigarette taxes stands at only Rs 266 billion.
The organizations stated that cigarette prices in Pakistan are the lowest in the region.
No increase in cigarette tax has been made since February 2023.
They highlighted that cheap cigarettes are a major reason for the rising trend of tobacco use among youth.
The groups recommended increasing taxes by Rs 35 on economy cigarette brands and Rs 21 on premium brands.
This step is estimated to generate an additional Rs 51 billion in revenue for the government.
