Salaried Pakistanis paid more income tax than the retail and real estate sectors combined in the first quarter of the fiscal year, according to preliminary Federal Board of Revenue data.
Income tax collected from salaried individuals reached Rs 144 billion between July and September, around Rs 90 billion higher than the combined Rs 54 billion collected from retail and real estate.
Tax receipts from salaries rose by 10.2 percent compared with the same period last year, showing continued growth in the contribution made by employees through income tax deductions.
In contrast, property sector collections fell by 38 percent. The decline followed reductions in advance tax rates applied to property transactions, which lowered the amount collected from real estate activity.
The figures have drawn attention to the changing contribution of different sectors to Pakistan’s tax revenue. Salaried workers continue to contribute through deductions made directly from their earnings, which makes collection relatively easier for the authorities.
The rise in salary based tax collections came despite a budget package that was presented as providing around Rs 52 billion in tax relief to employees.
The preliminary figures give an early picture of tax collection trends for the new fiscal year. Final numbers may change once the Federal Board of Revenue completes reconciliation. The data highlights the gap between formal salaried income, collected steadily through deductions, and sectors like retail and real estate, where collection varies with transactions and policy changes.
