Federal Minister for National Health Services Aamer Mehmood Kiani announced on Tuesday,4th December that a sin tax will be levied on tobacco products, which consists of cigarettes.
It is also in speculation that this tax will be imposed on sugary beverages.
“Multiple means will be used to increase the health budget,” he said, and went on further to add “one of them is imposing a sin tax on tobacco products and sugary beverages. That sum will be diverted to the health budget.”
Pakistan comes under the bracket of the top 15 countries which are inflicted with tobacco-related ill health problems. The population’s health is deteriorating at a great scale and one of its evident factors contributing to this is the rapidly increasing consumption of cigarettes.
We have not yet decided on the exact amount for a sin tax ,but it will certainly be a handsome sum.
To further explain the sin tax, he went on to say “A sin tax is an internationally recognised term and is specifically levied on certain goods deemed harmful to society, for example tobacco, candies, soft drinks, fast foods, coffee and sugar.”
What are your views, should this tax imposition be effective immediately or not?
