Tobacco tax: PTI senator threatens to commit self-immolation in the House

ISLAMABAD, Sep 26,2022 – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Faisal Saleem of said that tobacco tax policy is leading to the destruction of our tobacco crop, and threatened he should not be forced to commit self-immolation in the House.  

During the debate on tobacco tax in the Senate session, responding to the PTI senator the Law Minister said that the policy is for the entire country, not for any one region.

During the debate on tobacco tax in the Senate session, Law Minister Nazir Tarar said that the tax policy is for the entire country and not for any one region. If so, there is the same tax.

Dr. Shahzad Waseem said that tobacco is not in the whole country but only in a few districts, to give benefit to someone tax is being imposed on local tobacco.

Haji Hidayatullah said that was opium crop was banned in our area earlier, opium was used to work for the poor and their jobs were terminated, now tobacco is being eliminated from our province.

Senator Faisal Saleem said that some five people who grow tobacco are becoming unemployed, the tax on tobacco import is low and the tax on local farmers is high, this policy is causing the destruction of our tobacco crop and added that his tobacco factory was closed 6 years ago.

The PTI senator said that I was told that I am a thief, yes I am a thief, everything is being given to private tobacco companies, don’t force me to set myself on fire in the House.