Islamabad, Pakistan, June 4, 2026: Muhammad Amin, Chairman of Fair Trade in Tobacco, strongly rejected the narrative presented in a recent public appeal issued in the name of tobacco farmers and local industry in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying that such campaigns are an old and familiar pressure tactic used whenever enforcement against illegal cigarette and tobacco trade begins to hurt entrenched tax evasion networks.
Amin said the appeal attempts to portray enforcement against illegal tobacco activity as an attack on farmers and local industry, while avoiding the central issue: widespread illegal manufacturing, under-declaration, smuggling, non-duty-paid cigarette sales, and systematic evasion of taxes in the tobacco sector.
“This is not a farmers’ rights movement; this is an attempt to place farmers in front of the illegal cigarette mafia as a human shield,” Amin said. “The government must distinguish between genuine tobacco growers who deserve protection and those commercial actors who use the language of farmers to defend non-compliant cigarette and tobacco operations.”
The appeal addressed Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, and Federal Minister for Finance Muhammad Aurangzeb, claiming that heavy taxation and misleading propaganda are damaging tobacco farmers and the local industry in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Amin said the real damage is being inflicted by illegal cigarette operators who have manipulated weak enforcement, informal supply chains, and political pressure for decades.
“The illegal cigarette mafia has been stealing from Pakistan’s exchequer on a massive scale,” Amin said. “There are clear indications that illegal and non-compliant operators in the cigarette and tobacco sector are causing tax losses close to Rs. 400 billion every year. No country can tolerate this level of revenue theft and still claim to be serious about economic recovery.”
FTT said the demand for protection of the local industry cannot be used as a cover for illegal trade practices. Genuine farmers must be supported through transparent procurement, fair pricing, documented transactions, and market access. However, manufacturers and dealers involved in tax evasion, under-reporting, sales at below minimum price, smuggling, or violations of Track and Trace obligations must face strict enforcement.
Amin urged the officials named in the appeal not to relent under pressure. “We respectfully request the Prime Minister, the Chief of Defense Forces, and the Finance Minister to continue enforcement against all forms of illegal cigarette and tobacco trade,” he said. “This is not only a revenue matter; it is a test of whether Pakistan will defend lawful business or surrender to pressure from those who have profited from illegality.”
He said sustained action against the illegal cigarette trade will also increase confidence among legal tobacco players who have demanded a level playing field for decades. Legal companies that pay taxes, comply with regulations, follow documentation requirements, and operate within the law should not be forced to compete with operators who avoid duties, violate minimum price rules, and distort the market.
“Enforcement creates confidence,” Amin said. “When legal businesses see that the state is serious about stopping tax theft, they invest more, pay more, and plan for the long term. When illegal traders are allowed to dictate policy, investment suffers, and the exchequer loses.”
FTT called for continued raids, supply-chain monitoring, retail-level enforcement, strict action against sales of cigarettes at below-minimum prices, and prosecution of repeat offenders.
Amin concluded, “Pakistan’s economy cannot be held hostage to the interests of a few people. They cannot be allowed to continue stealing taxes from Pakistan’s revenues while hiding behind farmers, slogans, and pressure campaigns.”