Pakistan
Country engagements
Since 2009, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have been collaborating on assessing Pakistan’s excise tax system and market of cigarettes. As part of this collaboration in 2009, 2010 and 2011 the FBR and WHO examined the market carefully in order to make sound tax policy decision that would be beneficial for the economy, the government’s revenues and public health. The Ministry of Finance also recognized that higher taxation is an important policy for protecting public health, as he made it clear during the budget announcement on fiscal years of 2009 and 2010 that “tobacco taxation is being increased as per World Health Organization recommendations for protecting health of the population”.