On-spot shopkeeper registration under Easy Tax Scheme: Govt, traders agree on joint FBR-trader field teams

ISLAMABAD: The government and traders’ organisations Monday agreed that Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) officials and representatives of traders will jointly visit markets across the four provinces to facilitate registration of shopkeepers under the Easy Tax Scheme (ASAAN TAJIR Scheme).

The decision was taken at a review meeting on the Easy Tax Scheme chaired by Minister of State for Finance and Railways Bilal Azhar Kayani on Tuesday.

The meeting was attended by traders’ representatives, including Ajmal Baloch and Kashif Chaudhry, Member Inland Revenue (Operations) Zubair Bilal, senior FBR officials, chief commissioners, and officials of Regional Tax Offices (RTOs) Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The RTOs and Corporate Tax Offices (CTOs) from across the country participated in the meeting through video link.

The meeting reviewed the performance of regional tax offices (RTOs) and the corporate tax offices (CTOs) so far and assessed progress on implementation of the Easy Tax Scheme. The participants also reviewed feedback received from the traders regarding the scheme.

It was decided that traders’ representatives and FBR officials would jointly devise a strategy to facilitate registration in markets falling within their respective jurisdictions. FBR officials from Regional Tax Offices and Corporate Tax Offices will visit markets across the country, along with representatives of traders, at pre-agreed times in the coming days.

The meeting also decided to maintain close coordination between the tax authorities and traders’ organisations during the registration process so that shopkeepers can be provided maximum facilitation under the scheme.

The minister said the government, under the patronage of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, had introduced the Easy Tax Scheme in response to the demands of the business community and had fulfilled its commitment by initiating effective implementation of the scheme.

Bilal Azhar Kayani said the first plate under the Easy Tax Scheme had been installed at a shop in Islamabad on Monday, adding that the government had fulfilled its commitment. He said that the plates would be installed at the shops of traders across the country who had become part of the Easy Tax Scheme.

He said the scheme would help broaden the tax base while making compliance easier for traders and providing greater facilitation in their day-to-day business activities.

The minister said progress on the Easy Tax Scheme would be reviewed continuously and every possible effort would be made to make the “historic scheme” successful.

Another meeting on the Easy Tax Scheme will be held next week under the chairmanship of Bilal Azhar Kayani to review progress on implementation.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026