The Government of Balochistan has taken a significant step towards improving women’s health and empowerment by initiating legislative efforts to reduce or abolish taxes on menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) products.
Balochistan Minister for Education, Raheela Durrani, reaffirmed the provincial government’s commitment to ensuring the health, dignity, and well-being of women and girls across the province through decisive policy measures.
She was presiding over a consultative meeting held on Wednesday to strategise a joint resolution in the Balochistan Assembly focusing on MHH tax reforms. The session emphasized the need to remove financial barriers that limit access to essential health products for women, particularly those from marginalized communities.
The meeting was organized by the MHM Working Group in collaboration with UNICEF Pakistan, and brought together policymakers, executive authorities, and international development partners.
Former provincial health minister Rehmat Saleh Baloch highlighted that ensuring access to basic health necessities is a shared legislative responsibility. He stressed the importance of building cross-party consensus to implement reforms without delay.
Chairperson of the MHM Working Group, Dr Tahira Kamal Umrani, briefed participants on the core agenda, underscoring that reducing or eliminating taxes on menstrual health products is essential to easing the financial burden on vulnerable populations.
Meanwhile, Abdullah Khan, Chairperson of the Balochistan Revenue Authority, shared the administrative perspective and expressed readiness to review the proposed reforms.
The proposed joint resolution aims to secure either a 50 percent reduction or complete abolition of provincial taxes on essential menstrual health products. The objective is to make these items affordable and accessible, particularly for women in underserved areas.
Participants agreed to fast-track the legislative drafting process, with lawmakers pledging to take ownership of the initiative and present the resolution in the provincial assembly.
In addition to the provincial initiative in Balochistan, a prominent legal battle, initiated by lawyer Mahnoor Omer, is taking place in the Lahore High Court and Sindh High Court to remove the federal 18% sales tax on menstrual hygiene products.
While Balochistan is leading in proposing a provincial resolution, the push for abolition is a nationwide conversation, with activists arguing that taxing these products is discriminatory and unconstitutional.
If passed, the move is expected to set a strong precedent for women-focused policy reforms in Balochistan, signaling a progressive shift towards addressing long-standing public health and gender equity challenges.
