LAHORE: Chief Commissioner Regional Tax Office-1(RTO-1) Lahore Amna Faiz Bhatti on Thursday urged shopkeepers to register under the fixed tax scheme and file their returns by September 30, 2026, describing the initiative as an amnesty aimed at bringing more traders into the tax net.
Speaking at a briefing for journalists at the Inland Revenue Office in Old Anarkali, she said shopkeepers paying an annual tax of Rs25,000 would be exempt from audit. Senior RTO-1 officials, including Commissioners Shabana Aziz and Bilal Hassan, Dr Shazia Gul and Additional Commissioner Fayyaz Hussain Abro, also attended the briefing.
Officials said the scheme, introduced under Section 99B of SRO-1, was meant for small shopkeepers with annual turnover of less than Rs200 million. Tier-1 retailers, goldsmiths and persons earning agricultural income were excluded from its scope. Traders could opt to file normal tax returns, but a minimum annual tax payment of Rs25,000 would apply under the scheme, officials said.
They said the registration form had been simplified and made available in Urdu, while registration could also be completed through the Tax Asaan app. A QR code would be displayed outside shops to minimise unnecessary interaction between traders and tax officials.
However, officials said taxpayers found misusing the facility would be subjected to a mandatory audit. Bhatti said a “targeted” taxpayer mindset had discouraged many shopkeepers from joining the formal tax system. She expressed the hope that greater transparency would encourage more traders to register.
She said around 50,000 to 60,000 shopkeepers were currently paying taxes, while nearly 1.3 million taxpayers were registered with RTO-1. The Chief Commissioner said allegations of tax officials demanding “petrol money” should no longer arise as officials were now provided with vehicles and fuel by the government.
She said the RTO would continue its awareness campaign in collaboration with trader associations, including establishing city centres and displaying banners and hoardings in markets across Lahore. Officials also said the return-filing process under the scheme had commenced on Thursday.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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