PM Directs FBR to Launch Crackdown Against Illegal Cigarette Factories

While taking notice of illegal cigarette factories in the country, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has once again directed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to launch a crackdown against illegal cigarette factories. Previously, in the last week of December, after meeting with officials of multinational cigarette companies, the premier directed FBR’s intelligence arms (Intelligence and Investigation Inland Revenue as well as Customs) to start a crackdown against the non-duty paid cigarette. Subsequently, both wings of FBR confiscated non-duty paid cigarettes worth billions of rupees in different operations. Sources said that some local manufacturing units are reluctant to install the Track and Trace System. Pakistan Tobacco Company, Philip Morris, and Khyber Tobacco have so far installed the Track and Trace System, sources added. The PM office has also directed FBR to submit its monthly report on the crackdown against illegal cigarettes. Recently, the government increased the federal excise duty (FED) on cigarettes to collect more revenue from this sector which has perturbed the multinational cigarette companies.