The Punjab government has announced a province-wide campaign to register all unregulated restaurants and wedding halls in an effort to expand the tax base without increasing the rates.
Chairing a meeting on Monday, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif rejected all proposals to raise taxes, directing the government departments instead to intensify efforts to bring undocumented businesses into the formal economy.
"It is unacceptable that compliant taxpayers bear the burden while tax evaders operate freely," she said. She emphasised that the administration was committed to economic fairness and would not allow the financial burden to fall on ordinary citizens.
As part of the initiative, the Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA), along with the mines and minerals department and other relevant institutions, has been instructed to identify new revenue sources and ensure the registration of all commercial establishments, particularly small and mid-sized restaurants and wedding venues currently operating outside the tax system.
The chief minister underscored the need for equity in tax collection, pointing out the inconsistency where salaried citizens earning modest incomes are taxed while some high-earning business operators remain outside the system.
1735819169-0/Express-Tribune---News-Desk-(1)1735819169-0-165x106.webp "story")
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