Aftab Maken ISLAMABAD: To promote the digital economy and broaden the tax base, the federal government has imposed a cash transaction limit of Rs 200,000 for retail outlets and e-commerce Cash on Delivery (COD) payments. According to a circular issued by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on August 12, …
Read More »FBR tightens grip on non-filers, eyes new revenue streams
Aftab Maken ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is proposing stringent measures, including requiring FBR approval for future stock market investments by all, and outright barring non-filers from stock market participation. These proposals, discussed during a recent meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Finance chaired by Senator Saleem …
Read More »Panel rejects FBR’s proposal of 10-year jail term for tax fraud
Aftab Maken ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Finance on Sunday rejected the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) proposal to impose a 10-year jail term for individuals involved in tax fraud. Members of the committee expressed serious reservations over the severity of the suggested punishment. The meeting, chaired by Senator …
Read More »FBR’s ABI seizes two prime plots in ‘Benami’ confiscation
Aftab Maken ISLAMABAD: The FBR’s Anti-Benami Initiative has confiscated two valuable properties in the capital, marking the first time immovable assets have been seized under the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act of 2017. The plots, located in the desirable Block H of the Pakistan Employees Cooperative Housing Society (PECHS), are now …
Read More »IHC orders Jazz Pakistan to pay Rs 22 bn in taxes to FBR
Aftab Maken ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ruled that a prominent telecom operator—Jazz Pakistan–is liable to pay approximately Rs 22 billion ($78 million) in taxes on the transfer of its tower infrastructure. The decision, handed down by a Division Bench led by Justice Babar Sattar, settles a long-standing dispute …
Read More »Budget 2025-26: Easing tax burden, targeting fuel & solar for revenue
Aftab Maken ISLAMABAD: The federal government has proposed significant fiscal measures in the Budget 2025–26, including a reduction in withholding tax on property purchases, meaningful relief for the salaried class, the introduction of a carbon levy on petroleum products, and the imposition of General Sales Tax (GST) on solar panels …
Read More »Govt unveils Rs17.6 trillion budget for FY2025-26
Aftab Maken ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Tuesday unveiled a Rs17.6 trillion balanced budget for the fiscal year 2025-26, with total projected revenues and expenditures both standing at Rs17,573 billion. According to official budget figures, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is tasked with collecting Rs14,131 billion in tax revenue, …
Read More »FBR grapples with staggering Rs 1,027b revenue shortfall
Aftab Maken Islamabad: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is facing an escalating crisis, reporting a massive revenue shortfall of Rs 1,027 billion during the first eleven months (July 2024 to May 2025) of the current fiscal year. This alarming gap, which includes a Rs 206 billion deficit in May …
Read More »Billions in lost taxes: Can a conflicted Senate panel truly probe Big Tobacco?
Aftab Maken Islamabad A recently formed Senate sub-committee, tasked with investigating alleged tax evasion worth billions of rupees within Pakistan’s cigarette industry, is now at the center of a significant controversy. Serious objections have been raised regarding the inclusion of senators with direct and past ties to the tobacco sector, …
Read More »IMF & Pakistan continue budget talks amid push for fiscal discipline & reform
Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have not yet reached a complete consensus on the budget targets for the upcoming fiscal year. However, the IMF has announced that negotiations on the new fiscal year’s budget will continue. An IMF mission, led by Mr. Nathan Porter, concluded its staff visit …
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