KARACHI: The Pakistan Chest Society (PCS) has strongly condemned the recent meeting between representatives of Philip Morris International (PMI) and the Ministry of Finance regarding proposed economic cooperation, calling tobacco industry investment “tainted with blood” due to the devastating health impact of smoking in Pakistan.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, President of Pakistan Chest Society Sindh, Prof. Javaid Khan, questioned the government’s engagement with the tobacco industry, stating that around 180,000 people die every year in Pakistan from smoking-related diseases. He said tobacco money is linked to the suffering and deaths of patients affected by lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart attacks, and strokes.
The society stated that no economic cooperation or investment could justify the massive human cost caused by tobacco consumption.
PCS further argued that tobacco revenue does not benefit developing economies and instead places a heavy financial burden on healthcare systems. According to the society, Pakistan spends approximately Rs. 615 billion annually on tobacco-related healthcare costs, while tobacco tax collection remains around Rs. 200 billion.
The statement also maintained that tobacco industry investment would ultimately increase the burden of heart disease, cancer, and respiratory illnesses in the country. PCS warned that billions of rupees are additionally spent on importing medicines, chemotherapy drugs, and cardiac stents required for treatment of tobacco-related diseases.
Referring to Pakistan’s commitments under the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the society said Article 5.3 requires governments to protect public health policies from the commercial interests of the tobacco industry. PCS maintained that discussions aimed at creating a “stable fiscal environment” for tobacco companies violate the spirit of the international treaty.
The Pakistan Chest Society urged the federal government not to accept investments from tobacco companies and instead adopt stronger tobacco control measures. The society called on the Ministry of Finance to increase tobacco taxes by at least 30 percent in the 2026–27 federal budget, reject policy influence from tobacco companies, and ensure consultation with the Ministry of National Health Services before making fiscal decisions related to tobacco.
Prof. Javaid Khan stated that the government’s responsibility is to protect public health rather than safeguard the profits of an industry that, according to him, “sells death.”
