The recent operation by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to curb the trade of illegal cigarettes is highly commendable. It has seized 8,320,000 illegal cigarettes which had evaded taxes worth over Rs17 million, showing just how huge the illegal trade net is and how it is damaging our economy.
It is also alarming to know that the market share of illegal cigarettes has reached 40 percent. Recently, the government taxed various essential items in the mini-budget, yet it failed to cut off the pathways of illicit trade. It should formulate and enforce a strategy to curb the illegal trade of cigarettes, instead of taxing essential items. Such a strategy can, however, only bear fruit if proper auditing of all imports is done and anyone found guilty of wrongdoing is held accountable – and penalised.
Abu Bakar Kareem
Karachi
Unlike many countries in the West, Africa is not saddled with a large debt burden and its tremendous potential for...
The River Gardens area of Islamabad has been dealing with a large population of stray dogs, endangering innocent...
Adiala Road is one of the most populous areas of Rawalpindi and its residents have been facing a persistent water...
In the wake of the devastating floods of 2022, the once bustling road from Bhand to Sohbatpur in the Jaffarabad...
The recent visit of the Iranian president to Pakistan has sparked both anticipation and speculation regarding its...
Deep fakes are manipulated videos or images created using artificial intelligence, and their prevalence has increased...
