The General Secretary and Director Operations of Pakistan National Heart Association (PANAH) has criticised the government for not raising tax on tobacco products in three years, reports The News International.

Tobacco use is one of Pakistan’s leading causes of non-communicable diseases that leads to 170,000 deaths each year. Sana Ullah Ghumman, General Secretary and Director Operations of PANAH has now spoken out about the fact that taxes on tobacco products have remained stagnant for three years whereas essential commodities have become significantly more expensive. Ghumman said that a study shows that a 10 per cent tax increase on tobacco products could help reduce tobacco consumption by 8 per cent in lower-income countries like Pakistan, reports The News International.
He continued to say that many public health experts were worried about the government not increasing the prices of tobacco products and thus facilitating the use that can lead to heart disease, which is a leading cause of death and disability.