The federal government is going to give significant tax relief to selected sections of the salaried class in the upcoming budget for the financial year 2026-27, but there are no signs of any major relief for millions of low and middle-income employees.
According to official sources familiar with the budget proposals, the government is considering a significant reduction in the tax rate for employees earning more than Rs 230,000 per month. On the other hand, the current tax structure is likely to remain almost unchanged for those earning between Rs 100,000 and Rs 183,000 per month.
This situation has come to light at a time when the government is going to set a record revenue target of Rs 15.3 trillion for the Federal Board of Revenue. This target is about Rs 2.3 trillion more than the previous financial year and achieving it will be a very difficult challenge in the eyes of experts.
According to sources, the proposed tax relief has been designed mainly for those employees whose monthly salary is between Rs 230,000 and Rs 341,000. Proposals to reduce the tax rate for this segment and reduce the maximum tax rate from 35 percent to about 30 percent are under consideration.
Economists are questioning why salaried individuals with relatively low incomes are being deprived of relief when inflation and the cost of living are continuously increasing. According to them, the most pressure in the current economic situation is on the middle class, which is already facing increasing expenses and limited income.
The government is also going to introduce additional measures worth about Rs 660 to 700 billion to increase revenues. These include a plan to collect additional revenues through tax enforcement and monitoring, in addition to new tax measures.
On the other hand, some import duties are being reduced in the trade sector, however, the decision to provide relief to the automobile sector or a major reduction in import tariffs has been postponed. According to sources, due to pressure from local car manufacturers, the government seems to be sticking to its policy of continuing to provide protection to this sector.
Business circles say that while the tax relief is welcome, its impact on overall economic activity may be limited due to its limited scope. According to experts, the real challenge for the government will be to achieve extraordinary revenue targets, promote economic growth and keep inflation under control.
The upcoming budget will make it clear whether the government is able to strike an effective balance between IMF conditions, increasing revenue targets and public relief.
