LAHORE – Addressing the webinar titled “Combating illicit trade in Pakistan” on Thursday, Philip Morris Pakistan Managing Director Roman Yazbeck stated that the market share of illicit cigarettes was around 40%, which could be an underestimation, The Express Tribune reported.
Talking about the tobacco industry Yazbeck told that the legitimate, tax-paying and regulated industry was losing out to illicit trade with every passing year.
He pointed out that the economy lost Rs44 billion solely on account of illicit cigarettes.
“It is not just a threat to the legitimate industry but also to the economy and the state,” he added.
Adviser to Prime Minister on Institutional Reforms Ishrat Husain also addressed the webinar saying that the challenge of illicit trade is real which can be tackled only through technology and digitization
