ISLAMABAD(National times)- During the first quarter of the current fiscal year (July to September), Pakistan’s salaried class contributed Rs130 billion in taxes to the national exchequer — double the combined payments made by traders, wholesalers, and exporters. According to official data, Rs130 billion was collected from salaried individuals, compared to Rs60 billion from property transfers, Rs45 billion from exporters, Rs14.6 billion from retailers, and Rs11.5 billion from wholesalers. This means that the salaried class contributed more than the total combined tax payments of traders, wholesalers, and exporters — three times higher than exporters and five times greater than the retail and wholesale sectors. Last year, salaried employees paid Rs545 billion in taxes, while the target for this fiscal year (2025–26) has been set at Rs600 billion. In contrast, the tax payments made by exporters, retailers, and property tycoons remain significantly lower, raising serious questions about fairness and equity in Pakistan’s tax system. Under Section 236K, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) collected Rs24 billion on property purchases — an increase from Rs18 billion during the same period last year. Meanwhile, under Section 236C (property sales), Rs42 billion were collected this year compared to Rs23 billion previously. The 2025–26 budget increased the tax rate on property sales to 4.5% for transactions valued below Rs50 million. For purchases, the rate was set at 1.5% for properties under Rs50 million. However, if the buyer is not listed as an active taxpayer, the rate rises to 10.5%, and to 4.5% if returns are filed after the due date.
Overall, the FBR collected Rs60 billion in the first quarter from property transactions — higher than the Rs45 billion collected during the same period last year. From exporters, Rs45 billion were collected under Sections 154 and 147(6C) of the Income Tax Ordinance, up slightly from Rs43 billion last year. Currently, exports are subject to a 1% tax under Section 154 and an additional 1% under Section 147(6C).