
Pakistan govt offers tax relief, cuts rates for salaried class
Tax rates for salaried individuals for income slab upto Rs.3,200,000 has been reduced to provide relief to lower and middle tiers income bracket. Similarly, surcharge rate is proposed to be reduced from 10% to 9% for salaried individuals only.
The Finance Bill (2025-26) introduced a revised tax structure for salaried individuals, significantly lowering tax rates and amounts across various income brackets.
Federal budget 2025-26: Cut in taxation rates for salaried people likely
Income between Rs600,000 and Rs1.2 million: The tax rate has been set at 1%, with the tax liability on an income of Rs1.2 million reduced from Rs30,000 to Rs6,000.
Income between Rs1.2 million and Rs2.2 million: The 15% tax rate imposed on annual income between Rs1.2 million and Rs2.2 million has been reduced by 4%. The new tax is set at 11%.
This means, an employee earning up to Rs 2.2 million, who used to pay a maximum of Rs330,000 annually in tax, will now pay Rs242,000.
Income between Rs2.2 million and Rs3.2 million: The tax rate has been lowered from 25% to 23%, providing relief to higher-earning salaried individuals.
An employee earning up to Rs2.2 million, whose maximum tax was previously Rs550,000 per year, will now have Rs506,000 deducted annually.
These reductions across all tax slabs reflect the government's commitment to supporting the salaried class, which has faced significant economic pressures due to inflation and rising living costs.
When contacted, tax lawyer Waheed Shahzad Butt informed that salaried individuals, earning between Rs600,000 and Rs1.2 million annually, will get the largest relief as the Pakistan government proposed a one percent tax rate from the earlier five percent.
The proposal means that individuals earning Rs1.2 million will pay Rs6,000 in taxes, down from Rs30,000.
Additionally, the Pakistan government has proposed 11 percent income tax on taxpayers earning up to Rs2.2 million annually, a sharp four percent decline from the earlier 15 percent.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Express Tribune
an hour ago
- Express Tribune
Prices continue to soar in open market
A relentless wave of inflation continues to batter the twin cities, with bakery and sweet shops joining the trend by hiking prices. Essential vegetables and groceries are now being sold at exorbitant prices — live chicken at Rs415/kg, chicken meat at Rs650/kg, eggs Rs280/dozen, milk Rs220/litre, and mutton Rs2,500/kg. Fruits and vegetables, including coriander, which was once free with vegetables, now cost Rs80 per bundle. Markets have become hubs of substandard produce while price control officers and assistant commissioners appear helpless in enforcing the official price list. The Punjab government's crackdown on overpriced sugar has shown immediate results as sugar is now available at the official rate of Rs173/kg in Rawalpindi markets. Rate cards featuring Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz's photo have been displayed at all shops. Following the crackdown, fines worth Rs318,000 were imposed within 24 hours. Two FIRs were registered, eight buildings sealed, and 10 people arrested. A total of 150 challans were issued, with 43 violators identified. Shopkeepers claim that the sugar is supplied to them at Rs165/kg ex-mill price, but only two sacks (100kg) per national ID card are available to tax filers. Traders demand easier access and removal of the tax-filer condition to meet market demand. The impact of rising fuel prices, transportation costs, and new heavy taxes has caused a sharp surge in prices of food, fruits, vegetables, pulses, meat, bakery items, and flour in open markets and wholesale bazaars.


Express Tribune
10 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Karachi's Malir gets new football stadium
Listen to article Sindh Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani on Sunday reiterated that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is not limited to rural constituencies but represents all major cities of Sindh. He was speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the Malir Union Football Stadium. He said development schemes worth billions of rupees were being executed across Karachi and the province, and expressed hope they would be completed within the current financial year. Ghani also inaugurated two other projects, including a community centre built by TMC Malir. He said these facilities had been established for the convenience of residents and would run efficiently. Several similar schemes across Karachi districts were also expected to be completed soon, he added. Members of the Sindh Assembly Raja Razzaq and Saleem Baloch, Malir Town Chairman Jan Mohammad Baloch, Ibrahim Hyderi Town Chairman Nazir Bhutto, Imdad Jokhio, and other elected representatives, local PPP leaders and residents attended the ceremony. Highlighting PPP's historical presence in Malir, Ghani said the area had produced prominent party leaders and that PPP had always defended local interests. The party had won the highest number of seats in District Malir during elections, he noted. He called Shahrah-e-Bhutto one of the city's best development schemes, benefiting four districts simultaneously, with its final phase up to Kathore due for completion by December. Referring to the K-IV project, he said it was delayed due to flaws in the initial design, which lacked key pumping and power stations. He added that work was disrupted during Imran Khan's tenure over allegations of corruption based on cost escalation. Now, with the PML-N in power, work had resumed under WAPDA, with Rs 70 billion allocated for Karachi's internal water supply. He hoped the project would be completed on time. Ghani also announced that water supply from the Hub Canal would resume on 14 August and that Sindh had requested an increased quota from Hub Dam. Dismissing criticism that PPP only worked in its strongholds, he said the party had spent billions on infrastructure even in areas where it had not won a single councillor's seat. He called PPP the largest urban political force in Sindh, noting that it had won local government elections in Karachi, Hyderabad, Nawabshah, Mirpurkhas, and Larkana, with all Sindh mayors now from PPP. He said ongoing water and sewerage projects were progressing swiftly and would be completed in the coming months. On Independence Day preparations, Ghani said the nation was celebrating it as a 'Day of Victory'. He praised the armed forces and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for diplomatic efforts that countered Indian misinformation. He urged citizens to actively take part in Independence Day programmes. Replying to questions, he said work on the Quaidabad bridge would soon be completed, easing commuter movement. He reaffirmed PPP's commitment to Sindh's development and lauded both military achievements and Bilawal's diplomatic gains.


Express Tribune
10 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Food inflation hits Punjab as price-control mechanisms prove ineffective
Listen to article The rising prices of perishable food items across Punjab have triggered widespread frustration, as consumers continue to pay well above officially fixed rates for basic commodities. Despite the formation of new price control departments, enforcement remains ineffective, leading to growing doubts about the government's ability to rein in food inflation. This week, the prices of essential vegetables and poultry products remained significantly above government-sanctioned rates in local markets, with no single vegetable available for under Rs 200 per kilogram. The persistent violation of official price lists not only highlights the government's weak regulatory grip but also calls into question the utility of the newly established price control mechanisms, which critics say are adding to administrative costs without delivering results. In poultry markets, discrepancies between fixed rates and actual market prices remained stark. The official rate for live chicken was reduced by Rs 15, bringing it to Rs 374–388 per kilogram, yet consumers reported paying between Rs 460 and Rs 480 per kilogram. Similarly, chicken meat was officially priced at Rs 562 per kilogram but was being sold for Rs 570–640, while boneless chicken ranged as high as Rs 1,200 per kilogram. Also Read: Punjab to remain in the grip of climate events Vegetables also showed alarming price gaps. For example, A-grade soft-skin potatoes were fixed at Rs 80–85 per kilogram but were sold at Rs 140–150. Onion prices officially stood at Rs 50–55 per kilogram for A-grade quality, yet they reached up to Rs 100 in the market. Tomatoes were set at Rs 82–90 per kilogram, but prices surged to Rs 150. Garlic and ginger were among the most overpriced items, with garlic varieties retailing for up to Rs 400 per kilogram against official rates of Rs 210–260. Ginger, depending on origin, was sold for Rs 600–700 per kilogram, far exceeding the fixed rates of Rs 400–460. Other vegetables—such as cucumber (Rs 200/kg), brinjal (Rs 150/kg), bitter gourd (Rs 220/kg), and ladyfinger (Rs 240/kg)—also saw steep markups. Spinach, pumpkin, zucchini, lemon, and arum followed a similar pattern, regularly exceeding official prices by Rs 30–100 per kilogram. Fruits were no exception. Apples, priced officially at Rs 145–265 per kilogram, sold for as much as Rs 350. Banana prices saw a jump of Rs 50–90 above the fixed rates depending on grade, while guava and papaya either exceeded limits or were not available at all. Grapes and mangoes, despite minor adjustments in official pricing, were sold at significantly inflated rates, with some varieties reaching Rs 500 per kilogram. Read: Rawalpindi gears up for emergencies as next monsoon spell nears Even middle-income consumers found basic fruits such as sweet melon, dates, and peaches to be unaffordable. Dates, for instance, were officially priced at Rs 460–490 per kilogram but were seen in markets at rates as high as Rs 2,000 per kilogram. Amid these widespread violations, market inspectors and newly formed price monitoring departments appear unable to enforce compliance. Critics argue that the government's price control efforts have become largely symbolic, lacking the administrative strength or political will to penalise violators. As food inflation continues to pressure household budgets—especially for low- and middle-income families—public confidence in the government's economic management and regulatory framework continues to erode.