The proposal of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to lower taxes on beverages and tobacco is a reckless gamble with public health.
As part of ongoing negotiations, the FBR has presented these tax cuts to the IMF, justifying them as revenue-generating measures. Zohaib Zia, an official of Flourish Pakistan, a prominent organisation championing robust health policies, firmly condemns the proposed tax reduction. “Lowering taxes on sugary drinks and tobacco directly encourages increased consumption, which in turn would worsen our already alarming health crisis.