Pakistan scraps tax on period products and contraceptives

2 min readUpdated: Jun 17, 2026 01:55 PM IST

Women’s rights activists and organisations in Pakisan have long demanded abolition of “period tax”. (AI-generated image/Gemini)

The Pakistan government has abolished the ‘period tax’ or ‘pink tax’ on women’s hygiene products, and also made contraceptives tax-free, Arab News reported. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced the measures, saying these were aimed at providing relief to the masses.

What is ‘period tax’ or ‘pink tax’?

The ‘period tax’ or ‘pink tax’ in Pakistan refers to the additional charge the government levied on women’s hygiene products, such as sanitary napkins, tampons, and other related products. The tax is historically referred to as a disproportionate financial burden on Pakistani women, which included 18% sales tax on the products. According to UNICEF, this would hike the retail price of the pads by up to 40%, making them inaccessible for many women and girls, especially those belonging to rural and impoverished sectors of society.

Women’s rights activists and organisations in Pakistan have long demanded the abolition of this “period tax”

“Regarding women, it was a massive demand in this country to end the pink tax,” Arab News quoted Tarar as saying at the National Assembly session on Sunday. “Today, the tax on their hygiene products has been reduced to 0 percent from 18 percent.”

Pakistan eliminates tax on contraceptives

The information minister mentioned that population is another serious challenge in the country, while informing the lawmakers that the government has also waived the tax on contraceptives for the upcoming fiscal year.

Terming it a “relief budget”, Tarar said, “This budget is a budget for an era where we are entering a period of prosperity.”

Mahwari Justice, one of the organisations fighting for women’s menstrual equity and reproductive rights in Pakistan, welcomed the move by the government. Pakistani women’s rights activist Mahnoor Omer, named among TIME magazine’s ‘Women of the Year’ for 2026, also appreciated the gesture.

— with inputs from Arab News

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