The Regional Tax Office Islamabad has urged retailers and small shopkeepers to opt for the Government’s Simplified Income Tax Regime, Asaan Tajir Scheme. According to the information shared during an awareness session at the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry, traders having annual turnover of up to Rs200 million may opt for this simplified regime, while retaining the option to file their income tax return under the normal tax framework.
Under the scheme, eligible traders will be subject to a minimum annual tax of Rs 25,000, while those fulfilling the prescribed requirements may also remain exempt from audit. The authorities have also simplified the registration and filing process through the Tax Asaan App, with the relevant form being made available in Urdu to make compliance easier for small shopkeepers and traders who may otherwise find the conventional tax return process difficult.
The development is important because the scheme is intended to bring smaller businesses into the documented economy through simplified compliance rather than complex assessment procedures. For traders, however, opting for the scheme should not be treated merely as a registration formality; the eligibility conditions, turnover threshold and comparative tax impact under the simplified and normal regimes should be considered before selecting the appropriate filing mechanism.