LAHORE: The Chairman of the Supreme Council of All Pakistan Anjuman Tajran, Muhammad Naeem Mir, has called on Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif to immediately withdraw the ministry of finance’s proposal to impose an annual fixed tax of Rs25,000 on retailers under the so-called simple tax system, warning that the business community will refuse to accept it if enforced through the upcoming budget.
Speaking from Lahore, Mir argued that retailers are already paying advance income tax under Sections 236G and 236H of the Income Tax Ordinance 2001, making the proposed levy an act of double taxation. He cited the FBR data showing that combined collections under both sections reached nearly Rs63 billion in the financial year 2024-25, while Section 236H alone recorded a 30 percent increase in the first 11 months of 2025-26 compared to the same period last year.
Mir insisted that the government’s focus should be on enforcing existing tax laws rather than introducing new ones. He also cautioned against blaming IMF conditionalities for unpopular fiscal decisions, urging policymakers to address administrative weaknesses and tax evasion within the current framework instead.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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