By Hina Kiyani
ISLAMABAD: A coalition of civil society organizations and public health professionals working under the TRANSFORM Pakistan Campaign, aiming to safeguard public health in Pakistan, on Sunday has urged the government for increase in Federal Excise Duty to 40 percent on all sweetened beverages, including juices and fruit juices, with no exception, in the upcoming budget 2026-27.
The coalition warned that Pakistan was 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 USD 2.6 billion, nearly double the annual installment of the IMF program.
Munawar Hussain, Health and Nutrition Policy Expert, stated that scientific evidence around the world and from Pakistan shows that taxing all sweetened beverages is an evidence-backed policy measure for reducing their consumption and preventing obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other NCDs.
Dr. Saba Amjad, CEO, Heartfile, emphasized that all sweetened drinks, including juices, regardless of their source of sugar, contributed to increasing the risk of serious health conditions like diabetes, stroke and heart disease. She noted that public health policies must be guided by science and global best practices.
Afshar Iqbal, Director Communications and Advocacy at Pakistan Youth Change Advocates (PYCA), 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 noted that such claims contradict scientific evidence and the guidance of the World Health Organization (WHO), which recognizes fruit juices as free sugars and recommends limiting their consumption through taxing and various other policy measures.
Mukhtar Ahmed Ali, Executive Director, Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI), stressed that the upcoming federal budget would present a critical opportunity to prioritize public health and reduce the growing economic burden of diet-related diseases. The revenue generated through taxing sweetened beverages and juices should be invested in health promotion and disease prevention, he added.
