ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s tobacco exports have increased to $2.2 million in the first month of the current fiscal year from approximately $910,000 last year after the withdrawal of advance tax on the crop, farmers associations said.

At a press conference at the National Press Club, tobacco farmers and labourers from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa thanked the National Assembly Speaker for his help in withdrawing the Rs500 per kilogram advance tax on the crop, which has resulted in a 137.5pc increase in tobacco exports in the first month of the ongoing fiscal year.

They said they had informed Mr Qaiser about their issues, including the advance tax on tobacco leaf that was hurting farmers and industry.

The speaker took up the matter with the Federal Board of Revenue prior to the budget.

Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2020