Islamabad : Consumption of ultra-processed products (UPPs), laden with unhealthy additives, sugar, and artificial ingredients, is a leading cause of obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases in Pakistan and thus taxing ultra-processed foods is a triple win for the government and the country as it will not only get the more needed revenues but will also reduce the disease burden and increase productivity.
This was stated by General Secretary Pakistan National Heart Association Sana Ullah Ghumman in a press conference organised by PANAH and its coalition partners HeartFiles, Pakistan Youth Change Advocates (PYCA), Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI), Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), Pakistan Academy of Family Physicians (PAFP), All-Pakistan Kidney Welfare Association (PKWA) and Diabetic Association of Pakistan (DAP) here at a local hotel in Islamabad.
Calling on the government to prioritise public health over business interest, he said that the alarming rate of increase in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) has emerged as a pandemic in the country. The government should take immediate action by imposing taxes on ultra-processed products to reduce consumption of UPPs. The government has recently increased the tax on petrol which results in high inflation, increase in prices of medicine and other household items, he said.
The participants in the conference highlighted the concern that the prevalence of NCDs is escalating in Pakistan. Alarming statistics reveal that over 41 per cent of adults in Pakistan are either obese or overweight. Additionally, more than 33 million people are currently living with diabetes, with another 10 million on the verge of developing the disease. Without immediate policy interventions, the number of individuals with diabetes is projected to surge to 62 million by 2045. The number of people living with diabetes in Pakistan increased from 6.3 million in 2011 to 33 million in 2021 and approximately 36 million in 2024, with an additional one million as pre diabetic.
The speakers at the conference said that taxing UPPs would not only generate revenue for the government but also incentivize healthier consumption habits, alleviating the growing strain on public health systems. It would support long-term sustainability by encouraging healthier diets and reducing carbon footprints linked to food production. Government should shift its taxation priorities by targeting ultra-processed food and beverage products instead of increasing petrol taxes, said the experts. The experts in the conference demanded the government to prioritize public health rather than the corporate interests and immediately impose higher taxes on unhealthy UPPs.
Additional Inspector General of Police Punjab Mirza Faran Baig shakes hands with traffic police personnel during his...
Participants attend the 38th death anniversary of legendary artist Sadequain at the Pakistan National Council of the...
Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Engineer Amir Khattak gestures while chars a meeting on June 13, 2024. —...
Senior Superintendent of Police Operations Muhammad Shoaib Khan addresses a press conference at 15 headquarters on...
MOU signing ceremony between the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad and Tashkent-based International Institute...
Uzbek Ambassador Javlon Vakhabov speaks in a meeting on February 6, 2025. —...