Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has announced that the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) retailer tax scheme will continue beyond 2026, confirming that the initiative is intended as a long-term measure rather than a one-year arrangement.
The announcement came during a meeting at the Finance Division in Islamabad on Friday, where officials reviewed progress on retailer registrations, tax returns, and efforts to bring unregistered businesses into the formal tax system.
The meeting also discussed using available data and identification records to identify unregistered retailers. The FBR briefed participants on data validation and the need to ensure that registration records accurately reflect the businesses being registered.
Aurangzeb said the government is working to simplify tax procedures and make compliance easier for retailers. He described the scheme as a simplified way for small businesses to enter the formal tax system and fulfil their tax obligations.
Officials also reviewed participation by existing taxpayers, applicable tax payments, filing procedures, deadlines, and operational challenges affecting implementation.
The continuation of the scheme aims to provide small retailers with a long-term route to formalisation while expanding the country’s tax base and improving compliance.
