ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is seriously considering launching another registration scheme for shopkeepers/ traders after failure of Tajir Dost Scheme.
It is learnt that the new scheme may be announced in the federal budget (2025-26).
When contacted, Muhammad Naeem Mir, chief coordinator of Tajir Dost Scheme told Business Recorder that there is no need for any new scheme after introduction of Section 236G and Section 236H in the Income Tax Ordinance 2001 last budget.
FBR acquiesces to changes in ‘Tajir Dost Scheme’
The advance tax collected on purchases (Section 236G) was reduced from 2 percent (non-filer rate) to 0.1 percent (filer rate). This tax under Section 236G is applicable on purchases made by distributors/ dealers/ wholesalers from manufacturers/ commercial importers.
The advance tax collected on sales to retailers by manufacturers/ commercial importers/ distributors under (Section 236H) was reduced from 2.5 percent (non-filer) to 0.5 percent (filer).
Thus, non-filers have to pay tax of 2 percent and 2.5 percent under Section 236G and 236H respectively, Naeem Mir said.
The FBR must enforce return filing from un-registered retailers with the help of data of Section 236G and Section 236H. The revenue potential from Section 236G and Section 236H is much higher as compared to the estimates of Rs 50 billion from the Tajir Dost Scheme. Therefore, there is no need for any new scheme in coming budget, he said.
To a query, he said that 70,000 to 75,000 shopkeepers/ retailers were registered under Tajir Dost Scheme.
Muhammad Naeem Mir added that the FBR has now adopted a targeted approach to register retailers and shopkeepers. The registration of very small size shopkeepers is not the top priority of the FBR under the “Tajir Dost Scheme.”
Meanwhile, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has integrated 9,834 big retailers into Point of Sales (POS) system up to March 2025 to document transactions of Tier-I retailers specially hotels/ restaurants.
According to the list of retailers compiled by the FBR till March 2025, a total of 9,834 Tier-I retailers were registered with the POS system. Out of 9,834 big retailers with Point of Sales (POS) system up to March 2025, a total of 738 restaurants were registered with the POS system and 506 leather and textile retailers were registered with the FBR till March 2025.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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