June 07, 2024
A subsidiary of British American Tobacco is lobbying the government of Pakistan to allow it to export 10-packs of cigarettes to war-torn Sudan, prompting criticism from a smoking campaign group.
Pakistan is among more than 80 countries that do not permit the sale or manufacture of 10-packs of cigarettes, which the World Health Organization has said make smoking more affordable for children.
But BAT’s subsidiary, Pakistan Tobacco Company (PTC), has written to the government’s health ministry to lobby for a change in the law that would allow it to make smaller packs there, for export to Sudan and other countries where they are not prohibited.
In a leaked letter seen by the Guardian, PTC said it had “received a new export order to manufacture for Sudan, which includes packs of 10 cigarettes”.