Petition in SHC seeks 40% tax exemption on sanitary napkins

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has issued notices to the Attorney General of Pakistan and other respondents over a petition challenging the 40% tax on sanitary napkins.

A two-member bench, comprising Justice Adnan Iqbal Chaudhry and Justice Jafar Raza, heard the petition filed by Alisha Shabbir and directed all parties to submit their responses within two weeks.

The petitioner argued that the government’s heavy taxation on raw materials for sanitary napkins has made them unaffordable for millions of women and girls.

She contended that under Articles 9 and 14 of the Constitution, every citizen has the right to health and life.

The petition seeks the inclusion of sanitary napkins as essential items and requests exemption from the Sales Tax Act 1990.

It also proposes that raw materials for sanitary napkins be placed under the Eighth Schedule to ensure that tax relief benefits reach consumers effectively.

The petitioner further highlighted that classifying sanitary napkins as “non-essential” and taxing them heavily constitutes a violation of fundamental rights.

The court accepted the plea for notice and fixed a two-week period for replies from the respondents and the Attorney General.