Aurangzeb says ‘no logic’ behind complicated salaried tax return form

• FBR launches mobile app for Fixed Tax Asaan Scheme for small traders
• Pakistan formally seeks US Exchange Stabilisation Support Facility

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Wednesday renewed his call for a simplified tax return form for salaried taxpayers, saying there was “no logic” behind the lengthy and cumbersome process currently applied to one of the country’s most documented segments.

The minister made the remarks at the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) headquarters during the launch of a mobile application for the Fixed Tax Asaan Scheme, designed to enable small traders and shopkeepers to register and file their returns digitally.

Mr Aurangzeb was accompanied by Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar, FBR Chairman Rashid Mahmood Langrial and representatives of traders at a news conference.

“I do not see any logic for this complicated form,” the finance minister said, adding that even an MBA graduate would struggle to complete it.

He noted that around 70 per cent of salaried income was deposited directly into bank accounts after tax deductions, leaving little scope for additional income streams to justify such a complicated filing process.

‘Asaan Tajir’ app launched

The newly launched app contains a simplified form in Urdu and is available on the Google Play Store under the “Asaan Tajir” icon.

A payment slip identification number (PSID) will be generated during registration, enabling traders to pay their tax through the app.

After payment, users will be notified of their registration under the scheme and their updated tax filer status, along with information about the benefits available to them.

Minister of State Bilal Azhar said the app would also be made available on Apple’s App Store in the coming days.

He said versions in other languages, including Pashto, Balochi and Sindhi, would be introduced by the first week of September.

Traders requiring assistance would also be able to approach designated focal offices and officials at Regional Tax Offices in each district, he added.

Mr Azhar also displayed a physical green identification plate containing security features that would be issued to participating traders.

He said traders registering under the scheme by the tax-filing deadline would receive the plate free of cost. Its eventual cost was expected to be no more than Rs1,500.

FBR Chairman Rashid Mahmood Langrial said that with the plate displayed, no FBR officer or official would enter the shop of a bona fide registered shopkeeper for routine tax matters.

He expressed hope that the scheme would generate a strong response in terms of both registration and revenue collection.

The scheme was announced ahead of the federal budget on June 5, after which the government worked on developing the application and identification plates.

US support facility

Speaking to the media, the finance minister also said Pakistan had formally sought a US Exchange Stabilisation Support Facility as part of efforts to strengthen the rupee, stabilise foreign exchange reserves and reduce reliance on repeated loan rollovers.

He said negotiations with the United States were under way and Pakistan expected a response from the US Treasury or US Exim Bank by the end of September 2026.

The request, reported to be for $10 billion, is aimed primarily at signalling confidence in Pakistan’s currency and external-sector stability rather than serve as a conventional loan.

Mr Aurangzeb said Pakistan was also seeking to move towards debt maturities of five, seven and 10 years to reduce dependence on repeated bilateral rollovers.

The government was exploring options to extend the maturity of existing bilateral loans to as long as 10 years, he added.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2026