KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has issued notices to the Attorney General of Pakistan and other respondents in a petition challenging the 40 per cent 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 heavy taxes imposed by the government on raw materials used to make sanitary napkins have made them unaffordable for millions of women and girls.
She maintained that under Articles 9 and 14 of the Constitution, every citizen has the right to health and life.
The petition calls for the inclusion of sanitary napkins among essential items and seeks an exemption from the Sales Tax Act of 1990.
He also proposes that raw materials for sanitary napkins be placed in the Eighth Schedule to ensure tax breaks benefit consumers effectively.
The petitioner further pointed out that classifying sanitary napkins as “non-essential” and taxing them heavily is a violation of fundamental rights.
The court granted the notice request and set a two-week deadline for responses from respondents and the attorney general.
