The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) collected a record Rs1,017.8 billion from the retail sector, including corporate retailers, during the fiscal year 2024–25, Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Bilal Azhar Kayani informed the Senate on Thursday.
Speaking during Question Hour, Kayani said the total included Rs628.3 billion in income tax and Rs389.5 billion in sales tax, reflecting improved compliance and expanding tax net coverage across the retail segment.
He said the FBR registered 280,197 retailers during the fiscal year under both the normal tax law and the Tajir Dost Scheme, the government’s flagship program to document small traders and shopkeepers. Additionally, the number of income tax returns filed by retailers surged to 1,034,143—up from 841,071 last year, marking a significant increase in formal tax participation.
Kayani credited the government’s fiscal policies, claiming that it had not only controlled inflation but also achieved record-breaking tax collection during the year.
Responding to another question, the minister said the FBR had cleared all verified refund claims of exporters by the June 30, 2025 deadline. “No valid refund claim of exporters remains pending in the FBR’s automated system,” he assured the House.
In a separate response, Kayani revealed that Pakistan Customs had seized 303.601 kilograms of smuggled gold over the past ten years, as part of ongoing anti-smuggling operations nationwide.
The figures presented underscore the government’s efforts to broaden the tax base, enhance transparency, and improve fiscal discipline while delivering on promises of curbing inflation and facilitating export-driven sectors.
