Islamabad: Minister of State for Finance, Bilal Azhar Kayani, has called on shopkeepers to take advantage of a 15-day extension for filing tax returns, emphasizing the importance of compliance to avoid financial penalties.

According to Radio Pakistan, Kayani underscored the necessity of the extension during a meeting in Islamabad focused on implementing a simplified tax scheme for shopkeepers. He instructed officials from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to ensure that shopkeepers are informed about the scheme as part of the ongoing mapping process.

Kayani highlighted the potential financial repercussions for shopkeepers who fail to meet the new deadline, noting that non-compliance would result in fines of 10,000 rupees for the first month, increasing to 25,000 rupees for the second month, and 50,000 rupees for the third month.