ISLAMABAD: A coalition of civil society organisations and public health professionals working under the ‘Transform Pakistan’ campaign has called upon the federal government to increase federal excise duty to 40pc on all sweetened beverages, including juices and fruit juices, with no exception, in the upcoming budget 2026-27, which is set to be proposed this week.
The coalition urged the government and other policymakers to align taxation policies with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommendations and global best practices.
The coalition warned that Pakistan is facing an unprecedented rise in non-communicable diseases (NCDs), driven in large part by unhealthy diets and increasing consumption of sweetened drinks.
“Pakistan currently has one of the highest diabetes burdens in the world, with an estimated 35 million adults living with the disease, placing enormous pressure on families, communities, and the healthcare system. If no immediate policy action is taken, the number is set to increase to 70 million by 2050. The annual cost of diabetes management is already reaching over $2.6 billion, nearly double the annual instalment of the IMF programme,” it added.
Warns of potential surge in NCDs in Pakistan as country already faces one of highest diabetes rates
Health and nutrition policy expert Munawar Hussain said scientific evidence around the world and from Pakistan showed that taxing all sweetened beverages was an evidence-backed policy measure for reducing their consumption and preventing obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other NCDs.
CEO of Heartfile Dr Saba Amjad said all sweetened drinks regardless of their source of sugar, contributed to increasing the risk of serious health conditions like diabetes, stroke and heart disease.
She said public health policies must be guided by science and global best practices.
Director of Communications and Advocacy at Pakistan Youth Change Advocates (PYCA) Afshar Iqbal cautioned against misleading narratives by certain elements of the food and beverage industry claiming that packaged fruit juices were healthy simply because they contain no “added sugar”.
He said such claims contradict scientific evidence and the guidance of the WHO, which recognised fruit juices as free sugars and recommended limiting their consumption through taxing and various other policy measures.
Executive Director, Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI), Mukhtar Ahmed Ali stressed that the upcoming federal budget presents a critical opportunity to prioritise public health and reduce the growing economic burden of diet-related diseases.
Secretary General Pakistan National Heart Association (Panah) Sanaullah Ghumman, highlighted that the government must reject any misleading effort from certain elements of the juice industry to seek tax relief on juices or any other type of sweetened beverages at the cost of public health.
Published in Dawn, June 8th, 2026