Umra performers outnumber taxpayers

ISLAMABAD: The number of Pakistanis performing Umra has exceeded the taxpayers in the country till May 30.

According to statistical figures provided by Saudi Arabia, almost 1.6 million Pakistani pilgrims have gone to perform Umra till May 30, 2019, while the number of taxpayers is from 1.2 to 1.4 million in the country.

It is generally thought that there are very less number of taxpayers in the country. A few days ago, Prime Minister Imran Khan informed the masses in his message that out of 20.2 million Pakistanis only one percent pay taxes and they are bearing the burden of 20.2 million people of Pakistan.

The number of tax filers was 1.9 million in 2017-18 but out of it only 1.2 to 1.4 million were taxpayers. The government has fixed annual Rs0.4 million as taxable income in the country to facilitate the people.

While the citizens have to pay Rs1,000 tax if their income is between Rso.4 million to Rs0.8 million. The citizens whose income is from Rs8,00,000 to Rs12,00,000 annually have to pay Rs2,000 tax and those whose income is more than that will have to pay tax with the ratio of 15, 20 and 25 percent.

The tax of salaried class is deducted from their institutions, which is called tax ate source. While 5 percent tax is imposed on the businessmen, whose annual income is between Rs1.2 to Rs2.4 million. This tax is recovered from those who file tax returns to FBR, otherwise they will be accounted among those who do not file returns.

According to the spokesman for FBR Dr Hamid Atique, the number of filers of tax returns are 1.9 million and it is the effort of the government to bring maximum Pakistani citizens in the tax net.

According to the official figures, 1.6 million Pakistanis performed Umra till May 30 and each Umra pilgrim had to pay minimum Rs2,00,000, on the other hand there is very less number of taxpayers in the country.

According to the Saudi Ministry of Haj and Umra, the number of Pakistani pilgrims of Umra is higher than the pilgrims of India, Egypt, Indonesia, Algiers, Yemen, Turkey, Malaysia, Iraq, Jordan till May 30.