Market & legal data in the tobacco alternatives sector in Pakistan

28th October 2024: Pakistan: The Action to Counter Illicit Trade (ACT) Alliance has praised the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR)'s efforts to fight illicit trade, which accounts for 70% of the market in Pakistan, press reports. The FBR also announced a new initiative to intensify its crackdown on smuggling and illegal cigarette sales, including the recruitment of additional enforcement personnel – an essential step towards curbing illegal trade, supporting legitimate businesses, and securing tax revenue.
23rd October 2024: Pakistan: During a policy dialogue organised by the Aurat Foundation, a women’s rights nonprofit organisation, member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA) Tahira Mushtaq called for stricter control on traditional and novel tobacco products, with a specific focus on their sale in proximity of educational institutions. Among the participants, activist Razia Sultana proposed the imposition of a 26% tax on all tobacco products. The participants agreed the main cause of tobacco consumption was a lack of enforcement of tobacco laws and called for stricter use of sanctions. The Aurat foundation is an influential actor in Punjab, and its views could have an impact on future policy-making.
21st October 2024: Pakistan: In the Punjab province, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has proposed implementing a track-and-trace system across all tobacco manufacturers in order to fight tax evasion, particularly targeting illicit manufacturing. Fair Trade in Tobacco (FTT), a tobacco growers’ platform, has praised the initiative.
17th October 2024: Pakistan: The government is struggling to enforce smoke-free regulations passed more than two decades ago, casting doubt on its ability to implement further tobacco control laws. Non-compliance is a significant public health concern, with 15.5% of the population smoking (28.6% of men and 2.3% of women), contributing to health risks across the country.
16th October 2024: Pakistan: The Initiative on Risk-Reduction and Dependable Alternatives (IRADA) held a round-table workshop that spotlighted the urgent need to adopt effective tobacco harm-reduction strategies to save 1.2m lives annually in Pakistan. The event gathered public health officials, experts, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), medical associations, media and local actors to discuss the health consequences of cigarette smoking in the country. The level of participation from stakeholders demonstrated a commitment to explore potential solutions.
15th October 2024: Pakistan: A civil society initiative addressing women has been organised by the Pakistan Girl Guides Association to launch the Pakistan Girls Empowerment Forum. Among the topics approached, the “Say no to tobacco” forum highlighted the association’s focus on raising awareness about tobacco’s harmful effects, alongside other health issues like breast cancer and tuberculosis prevention. This kind of event is significant as it shows the inclusion of women as another group of tobacco consumers, who are not usually targeted.
15th October 2024: Pakistan: The Peshawar High Court has temporarily suspended the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s plan to impose a cess (tax) on tobacco transported from other provinces. This ruling came after three tobacco dealers filed a petition arguing that the levy was illegal and contradicted prior court decisions. They claimed they were already paying cess to both the Pakistan Tobacco Board and the Punjab excise department, making the new charge unlawful. The court has asked the provincial government to respond within ten days, with the next hearing set for 12th November. A different decision could set a relevant precedent regarding taxes on tobacco products.
10th October 2024: Pakistan: The Initiative on Risk Reduction and Dependable Alternatives held a round-table conference in Peshawar on 2nd October to discuss effective tobacco harm-reduction strategies. Industry members, public health officials and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) attended the event, highlighting the potential to save over 1.2m lives in Pakistan. Research and policy adviser Muhammad Rizwan Junaid emphasised the role of modern oral nicotine pouches as lower-risk alternatives to traditional cigarettes. Participants urged the government to incorporate harm reduction into public health regulations and align policies with the health risks posed by new nicotine products.
10th October 2024: Pakistan: The Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (Sparc) has called on the government to regulate emerging addictive nicotine tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, nicotine pouches and other flavoured tobacco products, which, according to Sparc, are often marketed as trendy and less harmful. Sparc programme manager Khalil Ahmad stressed the urgency of implementing strict policies to prevent nicotine addiction, warning of long-term health risks that surpass any short-term economic gains. Sparc calls for greater public awareness, comprehensive legislation, and coordinated policy measures to address the potential health risks of these products and safeguard public health, particularly among young people.
9th October 2024: Pakistan: An expert from the Coalition for Tobacco Control Pakistan has called for urgent reforms to include smokeless tobacco in the country’s tobacco control policies. This omission has created a regulatory gap that has contributed to a public health crisis due to the widespread use of smokeless tobacco products in the country.
3rd October 2024: Pakistan: The Action to Counter Illicit Trade (ACT) Alliance, a coalition of civil society organisations, has accused the local tobacco industry of avoiding taxes by circumventing the track and trace system, and is urging the government to take immediate steps to address the issues within the system. ACT is an influential organisation, so it is likely that there will be further developments.
1st October 2024: Pakistan: Health experts have called on state authorities to implement stricter regulations to curb the rising use of e-cigarettes, vapes and nicotine products, particularly among the country’s youth. Concerns about increasing consumption levels among youth were discussed at a seminar titled “Evolving Trends: A Deep Dive into New Nicotine and Tobacco Products”, organised by the Indus Hospital & Health Network (IHHN) and Health Services Academy (HSA).

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