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Karachi: On Sunday, May 18, 2025, news outlets reported that the Karachi metropolitan corporation has decided to impose new taxes on wedding halls in the city after discussing the matter with the wedding hall association.
The metropolitan corporation has finalized a plan to issue challans for collecting taxes from wedding halls under various categories. It includes beautification, live cooking, barbecues, and parking. These taxes will be levied under the Sindh Local Government Act 2013, after considering manpower, banquets, clubs, and ballrooms.
The tax amounts will vary based on the location of the wedding hall, based on the district, and the number of guests it can accommodate:
Districts West, Central, and East:
- Halls hosting more than 500 guests: Rs 30,000
- Halls hosting 500 guests: Rs 20,000
- Halls hosting 300 guests: Rs 10,000
- Halls hosting 150 guests: Rs 5,000
Districts Korangi and Malir:
- Halls hosting more than 500 guests: Rs 25,000
- Halls hosting 500 guests: Rs 15,000
- Halls hosting 300 guests: Rs 7,500
- Halls hosting 150 guests: Rs 5,000
This new imposition of taxes by the KMC is separate from the 10% withholding tax on wedding events that was introduced by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) in December 2024. The FBR’s tax is collected from the booking parties and is added to the rental charges of the wedding halls.
The wedding hall owners are responsible for collecting and submitting this 10% withholding tax to the FBR. This could potentially increase the overall cost of holding wedding events in Karachi.
