By our correspondent
ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has intensified operations against illegal cigarette manufacturing across Pakistan, seizing more than 200 cartons in Mardan and shutting down multiple factories.
Authorities said the operation targeted a factory equipped with clandestine machinery producing cigarettes for well-known brands. The facility, capable of producing six to seven tons of tobacco daily, was reportedly generating around Rs45 million worth of illicit cigarettes each day. Some of the tobacco was sent to units in Hyderabad and Azad Kashmir.
FBR sources warned that the proliferation of untaxed cigarettes causes an annual loss of Rs250–300 billion to the national treasury. Legal action has been initiated against the factory owners for tax evasion. Mumbai Airport became an impromptu concert venue as flight cancellations and delays left passengers stranded across the city.
