Pakistan's finance minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has announced the removal of an 18% sales tax on sanitary towels and related period products, describing them as "daily necessities indispensable for women's health and dignity." The decision follows a successful legal challenge mounted by two young lawyers, Mahnoor Omer and Ahsan Jehangir Khan, who argued the charges amounted to a discriminatory "pink tax" on women. The move has been welcomed by UN Women and campaigners, though advocates stress that period poverty in Pakistan remains deep-rooted, as the high cost of commercial products means most women still rely on cloth or homemade alternatives that carry health risks. The government simultaneously scrapped the 18% sales tax on contraceptives, citing the country's rapid population growth as a pressing concern.