Only 312,361 traders filing tax returns.

Byline: Imran Ali Kundi

ISLAMABAD -- Although business community is continuously protesting against the government's campaign of broadening tax base of the country, but only 312,361 traders are filing tax returns that are very low as compared to the total number of traders in the country. Number of tax filers is very low in Pakistan and there are another three to 3.5 million traders, who are not in the tax net. The data of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) showed that only 104,219 traders are filing tax returns in major markets of five main cities, including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad. According to the data, 3925 traders are filing tax returns and paying tax worth Rs567.7 million in four major markets of Lahore. In Lahore, 2096 traders of Anarkali market are filing returns. Meanwhile, as many as 563 traders of mall road, 480 of Hafeez Center and 786 traders of Liberty Market are filing their tax returns .

Similarly, around 2266 traders are tax filers in five markets of Faisalabad, which are paying Rs141.7 million tax. The breakup showed that 904 traders of Rail Bazar, 530 traders of Chiniot Bazar, 418 traders of Katcheri Bazar, 294 in Anarkali and 120 traders in D ground are tax filers. In Karachi, which is economic hub of the country, only 85,020 traders of six main markets are tax filers and paid tax of Rs30 billion. Breakup showed 58,106 traders of Saddar market, 14,780 in DHA and 9446 traders in Clifton are tax filers. The data showed that 6580 traders are tax filers in Rawalpindi. Rawalpindi traders have paid tax worth of Rs1.09 billion. Meanwhile, 6428 traders have filed their tax returns and paid tax...