The Pakistan urgent need to increase cigarette taxes to curb smoking and boost revenue. With 31.6 million tobacco users and 160,000 deaths annually, smoking imposes a 1.6% GDP burden on the economy. A tax hike in 2023 led to a 19.2% drop in cigarette consumption and a 66% increase in tax revenue. However, a freeze on tax rates since then has made cigarettes more affordable, risking an increase of 490,000 new smokers in 2025-26.

To counter this, the proposed tax increase—raising FED on economy brands from Rs 101 to Rs 140 and premium brands from Rs 330 to Rs 369—could reduce smoking by 6.9%, prevent 264,000 premature deaths, and generate Rs 67.4 billion in additional revenue. The petition urges continued tax hikes, inflation-adjusted increases, and stricter enforcement to sustain progress in tobacco control and public health improvements.