According to recent data from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Pakistan’s salaried class contributed a massive Rs. 545 billion in income tax during the fiscal year 2024–25 — more than double the combined amount paid by exporters and retailers.
Exporters, despite earning in foreign currency, paid only Rs. 180 billion, while retailers — taxed under Sections 236G and 236H — contributed Rs. 62 billion to the national exchequer. Combined, exporters and retailers paid Rs. 242 billion, which is less than half of what salaried individuals paid.
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This means the salaried class paid over three times more than exporters and nearly eight times more than retailers, highlighting a significant tax burden imbalance.
Compared to Rs. 367 billion paid by salaried individuals in FY2023–24, this year’s tax payment represents an increase of Rs. 178 billion, showing a steep rise in taxation on fixed-income earners.
The figures have reignited the debate around equitable tax distribution, with calls for broader tax reforms to include high-earning business sectors and informal markets that continue to remain under-taxed.
