Pakistan’s Federal Law Minister, Azam Nazeer Tarar, said the government is committed to the promotion of agriculture and to providing all necessary facilities to farmers, and that no new regulations or taxes have been imposed on the tobacco crop or landowners in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province.
Speaking in the National Assembly on Friday in response to concerns raised by Syed Waseem and Asad Qaiser regarding the tax on tobacco crop, the minister informed the House that under the leadership of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, the government believes in the development of agriculture and in supporting farmers.
He said that two major multinational tobacco companies pay Rs 250 billion ($900 million) in taxes annually and hold a 44% market share, while local companies hold a 56% share but contribute only slightly more than 3% in taxes.
Azam said that industries earning profits have a responsibility to contribute their fair share to the national treasury, and that government oversight begins when the crop moves into the processing phase. He said there are some proposals regarding raw tobacco and assured that the government is aware of the challenges faced by farmers.
