Funeral expenses surge after new taxes and fees

RAWALPINDI: Funeral costs in Rawalpindi have climbed sharply after increases in taxes and charges under the new federal and provincial budgets, adding pressure on families already dealing with bereavement.

A quality burial shroud along with essentials such as camphor and rose water now costs between Rs8,000 and Rs10,000. Lower-quality, cheaper options have also entered the market. Residents said low- and middle-income households often find it difficult to cover even basic burial needs, with some turning to relatives and friends for loans or seeking free supplies from charities and philanthropists.

The overall cost of funeral arrangements, from the purchase of the shroud to burial, has risen to between Rs50,000 and Rs100,000. Funeral supplies account for about Rs10,000, while washing the body and related services cost around Rs5,000. A grave costs between Rs15,000 and Rs25,000, grave digger charges are about Rs5,000, and meals for mourners after burial usually range from Rs25,000 to Rs50,000.

Residents further claimed that all 44 graveyards in Rawalpindi have exhausted their burial capacity and that grave plots are being sold illegally at inflated prices. Professor Ilyas Qureshi, Headmasters Association patron Dr Sagheer Alam and resident Hafiz Sajid Khan called on the government and local bodies to arrange a free burial service for deserving families.