Pakistanis have the distinction of smoking over 65 billion cigarettes in a year. Over 100,000 Pakistanis die as a result of this poisonous entertainment and many more suffer from other diseases. To further enhance these statistics, Pakistan has generously dropped, in its latest budget, duties on the most smoked, third tier cigarettes from Rs32.96 to Rs16 per pack. This will certainly and drastically raise the number of smokers, number of deaths and the amount of profits made by tobacco companies.
Pakistan is a signatory to the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) which, in its Article 6, calls for price and tax measures to reduce the demand for tobacco by raising the FED by at least 75 per cent. Ironically, instead of raising the tax from Rs32.96 to Rs57.68, it was dropped to Rs16 per pack. The regulations also require that cigarette packs ought to carry pictorial and text warning on 85 percent space of the packs. However, the government continues to postpone the implementation of this law.
Naeem Sadiq
Islamabad
The inefficient drainage system in Karachi results in frequent flooding, causing inconvenience and safety hazards for...
There are so many bright students in Pakistan but most are unable to complete their studies due to financial...
Pakistan finds itself ensnared in a dire energy crisis, casting a shadow over its economy and the daily lives of its...
This letter refers to the article ‘How democracy was derailed by Asad Umar. Our elections tend to leave many, if...
According to the interior minister, Lesco alone overbilled customers by an estimated 830 million electricity units. In...
With every passing year, the ferocity of natural disasters in Pakistan appears to be on the rise. This is, in my view,...
