ISLAMABAD – Tobacco growers on Wednesday urged the government to eliminate additional tax on cultivators and impose levy on multinational tobacco manufacturing companies in upcoming budget. In a press briefing held at National Press Club (NPC), representatives of Khyber Pakthunkwa (KP) Labour Federation, Sarhad Agricultural & Rural Development Organisation and growers of tobacco from KP demanded of Prime Minister Imran khan to end newly announced Rs.300/kg additional tax on tobacco.
The representatives demanded of the government to hold all the leading international tobacco multinational companies responsible for making economic exploitation of workers in Pakistan. Talking to media, KPK Labour Federation President Ibrar Ullah stated that tobacco sector of KP is contributing Rs100b annually in national exchequer but newly introduced Rs300/kg tax on growers of tobacco will crush this sector in KP.