Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani opened a follow-up awareness meeting on the Small Shopkeepers Scheme (Retailer Scheme) at the FBR Headquarters in Islamabad today, engaging participants both in person and virtually via Zoom. Highlighting the Retailer Scheme's core feature including simplified registration procedures, flexible payment options, and a tailored operational framework designed to ease compliance for small retailers, Minister Kayani declared the scheme to be the simplest in the country's 79-year history. This scheme has been prepared as per the vision and instructions of the Prime Minister of Pakistan. He characterized it as a historic opportunity for traders to participate, fulfill their national duties, and strengthen the national economy.
Supporting Minister Kayani’s stance, FBR Chairman Rashid Mahmood Langrial reiterated the government's commitment to the initiative, noting that small shopkeepers can register and show legal liability by paying just a 1% turnover tax. He assured traders of maximum facilitation, stating that registered green plates would serve as a safeguard against unnecessary tax collector scrutiny, while warning that uncooperative traders would face strict legal action.
During the event, attendees observed a live walkthrough of the FBR's digital ecosystem, which includes a dedicated web portal and mobile apps for iOS and Android and participated in a Q&A session addressing tax computation and registration. Trade leaders welcomed the streamlined digital tools, confirming their continuous involvement in the consultative process and expressing full support for the government's simplified vision presented by Minister Kayani.
The session, organized following the scheme's official launch last week, brought together top FBR leadership alongside key trade representatives, including Ajmal Baloch (President of the All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajiran) and Muhammad Kashif Chaudhary (President of the Markazi Tanzeem-e-Tajiran Pakistan).
