Islamabad: Nearly 10,000 shopkeepers have been brought into the tax net through the Asan Tax Scheme in its inaugural month, a review meeting disclosed on Friday. The scheme’s progress and shopkeepers’ concerns were discussed in a session chaired by Minister of State for Finance and Railways Bilal Azhar Kayani.

According to Press Information Department, 9,806 shopkeepers have joined the Asan Tax Scheme, with many at different stages of filing their tax returns. Among these, 1,929 are entering the tax system for the first time, while 428 have already completed their returns. The participants include shopkeepers from both small and major cities.

Kayani instructed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to promptly address technical objections raised by shopkeepers and lawyers about the scheme’s implementation. He also urged authorities to rapidly issue FBR plates to those who have filed returns.

The Asan Tax Scheme is specifically designed for shopkeepers, aiming to simplify the tax process and encourage compliance. Kayani expressed optimism about increasing participation, emphasizing the absence of reasons for shopkeepers to remain non-filers following the scheme’s launch.

The meeting established a plan for daily communication between traders and FBR officials to support the scheme’s execution and agreed to enhance collaboration with tax bars and lawyers. An Urdu-language information booklet has been distributed, outlining the scheme, the previous tax filing procedure, and penalty details for non-compliance post-deadline.

Officials warned that penalties would be enforced on those failing to pay taxes under the Asan Tax Scheme or the standard procedure, starting at Rs10,000 in the first month after the deadline, escalating to Rs50,000 by the third month. Trader representatives endorsed the scheme as a positive initiative, acknowledging the need for increased awareness among shopkeepers.

Tax commissioners updated participants on their interactions with tax bars in their areas. The meeting included trader leaders Ajmal Baloch and Kashif Chaudhry, Member Strategic Transformation Dr. Hamid Atiq, Member Inland Revenue Operations Zubair Bilal, and senior FBR officials, with chief commissioners and commissioners participating via video link.