WNAM REPORT: President of the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI), Usman Shaukat, has said that the business community pays the highest amount of taxes, while our tax system depends almost 60% on indirect tax collections. Referring to a news report published by some media outlets claiming that during the first quarter, the salaried class paid more taxes than exporters, wholesalers, and retailers, he said this report is misleading, based on insufficient information, and creates a false impression that traders are not contributing to the tax net.
He stated that a large portion of the salaried class is linked with the private sector, and that exporters, wholesalers, and retailers pay the salaries of their employees from their own profits. Presenting salaried individuals separately in tax statistics and suggesting that they pay more taxes than others reflects a lack of understanding of the real facts and the structure of the tax collection system.
The Rawalpindi Chamber has always advocated for reducing taxes, including on the salaried class. Lower taxes will encourage business growth, and as business activity expands, tax revenues will also increase.
President Usman Shaukat further stated that in the last fiscal year, over Rs. 12 trillion in taxes were collected, of which only Rs. 600 billion came from the salaried class. For the current fiscal year 2025–26, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has set a revenue target of Rs. 14.305 trillion. Excluding the salaried class, where does the rest of this massive tax collection come from? It is the business community that bears the brunt of heavy taxation — including super taxes.
Business Community Pays the Most Taxes, Says RCCI President Usman Shaukat
Our tax system relies about 60% on indirect taxes, says President Usman Shaukat
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