In what Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Friday called an “important milestone”, the government announced a fixed tax rate scheme for small shop owners in an effort to build a more “equitable, balanced and sustainable” tax system.

The voluntary ‘Asaan Scheme’ aimed at small shops with annual earnings of Rs200 million, seeks to broaden the tax net by imposing a 1 per cent fixed tax on net income of the business. Shop owners will have to sign up for the scheme via a form available in multiple local languages.

The announcement was made during a press conference by the finance minister along with State Minister for Finance Bilal Azhar Kiani and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) member Hamid Ateeq Sarwar.

According to Kiani, shop owners who opt in for the scheme will receive FBR plaques displaying a unique QR code on them to be placed outside their shops and a point of sale system inside their shops.

Tax inspectors making the rounds of the market will be able to acquire tax details for these shops using their QR codes. Any irregularities will be up for audit in consultation with local traders’ associations.

Both non-filers and filers can enter the scheme. Filers will be able to opt for the scheme under the condition that, in the past three years, the business’ turnover must not exceed Rs200m, Kiani said.

He added that kiosks are exempt from the scheme.

The finance minister said the scheme was being presented for three to four million shop owners in line with their demands and after holding consultations with local shop associations.

The FBR official speaking at the press briefing maintained, “This is not a tax amnesty scheme but rather a tax facilitation scheme.

“We are trying to simplify the system for all taxpayers, and we started from small shop owners as they are in huge numbers.”