The salaried class in Pakistan has contributed Rs130 billion in taxes during the first quarter (July-September) of the current fiscal year 2025-26, twice as much as the combined payments made by traders, wholesalers, and exporters, according to official data from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).
The report reveals that while the salaried class deposited Rs130 billion into the national treasury, property transactions generated Rs60 billion, exporters paid Rs45 billion, wholesalers Rs14.6 billion, and retailers Rs11.5 billion during the same period.
This means that salaried taxpayers contributed three times more than exporters and five times more than the retail and wholesale sectors combined, highlighting a widening disparity in Pakistan’s taxation structure.
According to the FBR, Rs42 billion was collected under Section 236C on property sales, compared to Rs23 billion last year, while Rs24 billion was generated under Section 236K on property purchases that is up from Rs18 billion in the same period last year.
Following the Budget 2025-26, the tax rate on property sales worth under Rs50 million was increased to 4.5 percent, while purchases of properties valued below Rs50 million are taxed at 1.5 percent. Non-filers face higher rates — up to 10.5 percent — under these categories.
Meanwhile, exporters contributed Rs45 billion in taxes under Sections 154 and 147(6C), slightly higher than Rs43 billion last year. Under current regulations, a 1 percent tax is applied to export proceeds under each of these sections.
The FBR also reported that wholesalers paid Rs14.6 billion under Section 236G, compared to Rs7 billion last year, while retailers contributed Rs11.5 billion under Section 236H, up from Rs6.5 billion.
During the previous fiscal year 2024–25, the FBR collected Rs545 billion from the salaried class. For the current year, the government has set an ambitious target of Rs600 billion from this segment.
Despite earning significantly higher profits, exporters, traders, and property tycoons continue to contribute far less in taxes than salaried workers a disparity that has once again raised questions about fairness and equity in Pakistan’s tax system.
