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‘Sin tax’ on cigarettes, sugary beverages draws flak

(Image: DT Pakistan)
DT Pakistan

DT Pakistan

Sat. 8 December 2018

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Islamabad- Minister of National Health Services Aamir Mehmood Kiani recently announced the government’s plan of imposing sin tax on cigarettes, tobacco and soft drinks. He stated that sin tax imposition was one of the routes to higher healthcare budget.

Pakistan will be the second country after the Philippines to impose a sin tax on cigarettes.

Ever since the announcement of ‘gunnah tax’ on cigarettes and beverages, there has been an uproar from masses on social media. People in Pakistan have taken exception to the use of the word gunnah (sin) in the term ‘gunnah tax.’

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) minister Faisal Vawda also joined the chorus against the move. Vawda tweeted, “I’m a chain cigarette smoker myself, and I appreciate all the measures taken by the government to discourage smoking and I understand it’s injurious to health but this term ‘Gunnah Tax’ is inappropriate. If this is gunnah, then what would we name and term the actual gunnahs.”

People creating a fuss over the term ‘sin tax’ probably do not realize that PTI did not invent it. In fact sin tax was introduced as levy on products that were injurious to health, like tobacco and alcohol. The UK and USA were among the first countries to impose this tax several years ago.

Citing the examples of the UAE and the UK, Director General of National Health Services Asad Hafeez said that a tax on cigarettes and sugary beverages is being imposed in 45 other countries. He also explained how India uses the money received from imposing a tax on gutka and pan masala in the healthcare sector.

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