Pakistan to Abolish “Period Tax”

​In a landmark victory for women’s rights advocates, Pakistan has announced plans to eliminate the sales tax on sanitary towels and other menstrual hygiene products. The policy shift follows a high-profile legal challenge and a sweeping social media campaign aimed at dismantling “period poverty” across the country.

​Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb declared that menstrual products are “daily necessities that are indispensable for women’s health, dignity, and full participation in social activities.” Currently, locally manufactured sanitary items are subject to an 18% sales tax, while imported goods face an additional 25% customs levy.

​The reform was catalyzed by a lawsuit filed last year by young lawyers Mahnoor Omer, 25, and Ahsan Jehangir Khan, 29. The duo argued that taxing essential biological needs amounted to a discriminatory “pink tax” on women. Supported by a petition that garnered thousands of signatures, their campaign successfully pushed the issue into the national spotlight.

​According to data from Unicef, commercial period products are currently a luxury utilized by only a minority of Pakistani women due to high costs. The vast majority rely on unhygienic cloth or homemade alternatives, which significantly elevate the risk of infections. UN Women welcomed the tax repeal, emphasizing that menstrual health is a matter of basic equality and dignity that directly impacts girls’ ability to stay in school and women’s capacity to remain in the workforce.

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​While activists have celebrated the announcement, they emphasize that the legislative victory is only a baseline. Bushra Mahnoor, executive director of the advocacy group Mahwari Justice, noted that while the policy helps destigmatize menstruation, commercial products remain financially out of reach for the nation’s most vulnerable populations. Campaigners vow to continue pressing for the removal of import customs duties and for broader structural reforms, including access to clean water and sanitation facilities.

​In tandem with the menstrual tax repeal, the government announced it will also eliminate the 18% sales tax on contraceptives. Minister Aurangzeb cited Pakistan’s status as the world’s fifth most populous nation, framing the decision as a critical intervention to address “alarming” population growth through prioritized family planning.