KARACHI: Stop Illegal Trade (SIT) has commended the enforcement efforts of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), which have yielded significant results over the past year. These include sealing illegal manufacturing units, seizing illicit cigarette stocks, and confiscating raw materials. Enforcement measures continue to dismantle the illicit supply chain from production to retail level.
SIT also appreciated the federal government for legislative reforms that extend enforcement powers to provincial governments, calling it a structural shift that has significantly strengthened the country’s capacity to combat illicit cigarette trade.
Provincial governments are now leveraging these powers to conduct retail-level operations across key distribution hubs, where non tax paid cigarettes remain widely available to consumers.
“This was the right step at the right time, and the results are beginning to show,” said Ahmed Abdullah, spokesperson for SIT, adding that provincial engagement has brought enforcement closer to where the problem is most visible.
However, he stressed that consistency will determine the ultimate impact. One-off operations may create temporary disruption, but only sustained and continuous enforcement can permanently dismantle the networks that sustain illicit trade.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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