Tax relief for salaried class under consideration: FBR chairman

Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Rashid Mahmood Langrial has said that the budget for the next fiscal year would be “challenging” due to commitments under the IMF programme. “Reducing taxes for any sector will not be easy, but proposals to provide relief to salaried individuals are under consideration,” he added.

The development came during a meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Finance, according to Express News. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, speaking via video link, said the Finance Ministry is actively working on the new 2025–26 federal budget as well as a long-term tax policy. He stated that the FBR will now focus solely on tax collection.

Aurangzeb shared that during his recent visit to the United States, he held over 70 meetings with international financial institutions, bilateral partners, and ratings agencies, many of whom acknowledged improvements in Pakistan’s economic performance.

“They emphasised the need for continued structural reforms in taxation, energy, and privatisation of state-owned enterprises,” he added.

During the committee session, MNA Agha Rafiullah raised concerns over several federal departments, including the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis, reportedly failing to pay workers the minimum monthly wage of Rs37,000.

The committee took notice and directed the Finance Ministry to submit a detailed report within 30 days.