Govt issues first batch of green plates under Asaan Tax Scheme for traders

Mettis Global reported that the government has released the first batch of 50 green plates under the Asaan Tax Scheme, a move it described as a practical step forward for the programme. The initiative is designed to draw small merchants and shop owners into the formal tax framework. Each plate acts as proof of registration and shields the holder from FBR inquiry visits at the premises.

Bilal Azhar Kayani, Minister of State for Finance and Revenue and Railways, attached the inaugural plate at Peshawar Mor Market in G-9, Islamabad. FBR officials and members of Anjuman-e-Tajiran attended the event, as relayed at a media briefing. Kayani explained that the concept predates the budget, having been shaped through talks with traders about their worries, and that the app went live a few weeks after the budget was announced.

Close to 5,000 traders have enrolled through the app since launch, and both sign-ups and return filings keep climbing. Registered traders will face no audit, point-of-sale machine or withholding agent obligations. Kayani also noted that an FBR session involving every Regional Tax Office was set for that evening, aiming to push the rollout to all parts of the country. An awareness drive is already under way, with FBR teams expected to visit markets and complete registrations at the doorsteps of shopkeepers, a step Kayani linked to a broader tax base.