A Rs10 tax will be imposed on a cigarette pack of Rs20
Lahore (Pakistan Point News – 9th June, 2019) The Federal government has finally approved imposing health tax on cigarettes and carbonated drinks.
According to media reports, a Rs10 tax will be imposed on a cigarette pack of Rs20 while the government also approved imposing tax on carbonated drinks.
A health tax of Rs1 will be imposed on 250 litre cold drink bottle.
Focal person to prime minister for tobacco control Babar bin Atta said that Rs40-50 billion revenue will be collected with this tax.
The health tax will be officially announced in the upcoming budget.
The amount collected through this tax will be spent on the welfare of poor through Sehat Card.
Babar bin Atta said that this is for the first time the government is imposing taxes to discourage tobacco smoking.
The federal cabinet after discussing the health hazards posed by cigarette smoking, had decided to generate more revenue from cigarette industry so that the amount could be spent on prevention measures in health sector.
In Pakistan, over 20 million population smokes tobacco which include children and women. As many as 160,000 Pakistanis die every year due to illness caused by the use of tobacco products.
