Pakistan’s Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination has recommended the Finance Ministry should raise the taxes on Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSB’s) including carbonated drinks in the coming budget to make them less affordable because of their health hazards.
The Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health, Dr Faisal Sultan, has sent a recommendation to the finance minister to raise taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages on a request from health experts, especially eminent diabetologists in the country.
The World Health Organisation and the World Bank have recommended increasing taxes on SSBs to reduce obesity and related diseases like diabetes.
Even though Pakistan has low taxes on SSBs in comparison to other countries in the region like India, the Maldives and countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain, there is no guarantee the Finance Ministry will act on the recommendation unless MPs lobby the Minister in numbers.