According to a report by Pakistani media outlet Nation on May 14, anti-tobacco activists are calling on the government of Pakistan to adjust tobacco taxes based on guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO) in order to address the health and financial issues the country is facing.
Malik Imran Ahmed, National Head of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (CTFK), has stated that the issue of tobacco consumption among young people in the country should be addressed by raising tobacco taxes to 70% of the retail price (the benchmark set by the World Health Organization).
This proposal comes as the government considers adding revenue collection options in the next budget, following negotiations with the International Monetary Fund on a long-term bailout plan.
Malik stated that more than 60% of the country's population is composed of youth, and the Pakistani government has a responsibility to protect them from the harms of tobacco. The official proposed a 37% increase in tobacco taxes, taking into account market dynamics, past revenue adjustments, and IMF recommendations to tax non-essential items, including cigarettes.
Tobacco consumption leads to approximately 160,000 deaths each year, accounting for 1.4% of the country's annual healthcare expenditure as a percentage of GDP.
He mentioned investigations and research, including those from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which showed that cigarette consumption in Pakistan decreased by at least 20% after an increase in cigarette prices.
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