HealthJune 26, 2026

Money and Periods: Pakistan’s Tax Change and What It Means

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② Start Lesson

Key Vocabulary

sanitary pads/ˈsænɪtəri pædz/

soft products used during a woman’s period to absorb blood

"She bought sanitary pads at the shop."

menstrual/ˈmɛnstruəl/

related to a woman's monthly period

"She learned about menstrual health at school."

tax/tæks/

money the government takes on goods or income

"The government set a tax on the product."

Listening

Money and Periods: Pakistan’s Tax Change and What It Means

Pakistan has removed an 18% sales tax on sanitary pads and other menstrual products in the 2026–27 federal budget. The finance minister presented the budget in June 2026. The change sets the sales tax for these items to zero.

Only about 12% of women and girls in Pakistan use commercially made menstrual products. Many people still use cloth or other reusable materials. Campaigners welcomed the tax removal but warned it may not make pads cheap enough for the poorest families, because import duties and other charges can keep prices high. The budget also removes the sales tax on some contraceptives. Campaigners and lawyers had challenged the tax and pushed for change.

111 words

Quiz

1. What percent sales tax was removed?

2. When was the budget presented?

3. What share of women and girls use commercially made menstrual products?

Reading Practice

Read the article from the Listening section aloud. Your AI teacher will give you pronunciation feedback.

Discussion

Do you think price changes for everyday items affect your shopping choices? How?

Have you ever had to choose a cheaper product because of cost? What happened?

What do you think when you hear that many people use reusable cloth instead of branded pads?