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Business Recorder
17-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Illicit tobacco trade thrives as TTS fails to help curb violations
KARACHI: Inefficiency of the Track and Trace System (TTS) in the tobacco sector is causing huge losses to the tune of Rs400 billion to the national exchequer every year, industry experts said. Sharing the Institute of Public Opinion Research's 2024 (IPOR) findings, they said the unchecked illicit tobacco trade thrives in Pakistani markets. The study showed compliant brands follow all the requirements stipulated by the Government of Pakistan. These requirements include having a Track and Trace Stamp, a graphical health warning, a printed retail price, an underage warning, and the manufacturer's name on the packaging. These brands are also compliant with the Brand Licensing Regime of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and are sold above the minimum legal price of Rs162.25. The study further explored that locally manufactured duty-not-paid brands do not comply with one or more of the stipulated requirements by the government. These brands also fail to comply with the Brand Licensing Regime of the FBR and are sold below the minimum legal price of Rs162.25. Smuggled brands are completely non-compliant with the requirements. These brands do not have a Track and Trace Stamp and other guidelines lay down by the Government of Pakistan. Regarding Track and Trace System (TTS) compliance at the point of sale, a total of 413 brands were found in the market. Out of these, only 19 brands had the TTS stamp in all areas. Thirteen brands were found both with and without the TTS stamp. Ninety-five of the brands were locally manufactured and did not have the TTS stamp. Additionally, 286 smuggled brands were found without the TTS stamp. Industry expert Osama Siddiqi said the economic impact will further deteriorate if these illicit brands remain unchecked. To solve this issue, he advised the authorities to ensure TTS coverage and routine inspections. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
08-03-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Maryam Nawaz outperforms other provincial CMs in governance, survey reveals
A new survey has found that a majority of Punjab residents view Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz's governance positively, particularly in education, healthcare, and infrastructure, while concerns remain over employment and inflation. The survey, conducted by the Institute of Public Opinion Research (IPOR) across Punjab's 36 districts, revealed that 62% of respondents rated Maryam Nawaz's first year in office as 'remarkable' in addressing public issues. In education and healthcare, 73% and 68% of respondents, respectively, rated the provincial government's performance as "good" or "very good." However, 63% expressed dissatisfaction with job creation efforts, calling them 'poor' or 'very poor.' Overall, 57% of respondents believe governance standards have improved over the past year, while 17% said they have worsened. A similar 57% felt the government had effectively addressed key public concerns. According to the survey, 60% of Punjab residents believe Maryam Nawaz has outperformed the chief ministers of the other three provinces. Her most well-received initiatives include improvements in education, healthcare, infrastructure, and the "Clean Punjab" campaign. The report highlights a 15% improvement in education, 14% in healthcare, 11% in infrastructure, and 11% in cleanliness efforts. However, residents identified employment (13%), healthcare services (13%), and inflation control (12%) as the most urgent issues requiring attention. The survey also found that 53% of respondents believe Punjab's governance has improved under Maryam Nawaz compared to the previous Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government. The poll was conducted between February 3 and 18, gathering responses from 66,000 residents in both rural and urban areas.
