Cigarette Tax Scorecard: Pakistan

This Policy Brief was written based on the findings of the Cigarette Tax Scorecard. The policy brief evaluates the cigarette tax policies in Pakistan. In 2018, Pakistan scored only 0.88 points out of 5, demonstrating that there is significant need for improvements. The overall score is an average of the following components: the absolute price of cigarettes, changes in affordability, the tax share of the price, and the tax structure used. Pakistan’s highest component score was for the tax share of price, although the country only received 2.5 points out of 5. In 2018, the total tax share was 56% and the excise tax share was 42%, which is significantly lower than the recommended tax shares. Pakistan scored 0 points for the cigarette price and change in affordability components and only 1 point for its tax structure. The policy brief makes recommendations for the government to address these challenges and improve public health while raising tax revenues.