ISLAMABAD: The government has projected Rs5.147 trillion in non-tax revenue for the fiscal year 2025–26, according to official budget documents released on Wednesday.
A major share—Rs2.4 trillion—is expected to come from the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) profits. In addition, the government aims to collect Rs 1.468 trillion through the petroleum levy, while Rs519 billion is anticipated from the property sector. Revenue from various regulatory fees, including the mobile levy, is estimated at Rs 29.79 billion.
Under the new Finance Bill, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is tasked with generating over Rs400 billion in additional tax revenues, driven largely by new taxes on digital platforms, which are expected to contribute Rs64 billion.
The budget introduces taxes on a wide range of online activities and services, including e-commerce, courier services, and digital platforms. An 18% sales tax will apply to e-commerce platforms, to be collected and deposited by logistics and courier companies.
A new tax between 0.25% and 5% has been imposed on digital services, while foreign digital companies will face a flat 5% tax on payments received from Pakistan. This includes websites, mobile apps, and social media platforms, along with services like e-learning, telemedicine, and cloud computing.
Additionally, a tax ranging from 0.25% to 2% will be levied on cash-on-delivery (COD) transactions. Unregistered online vendors will face penalties of Rs1 million, while banks and courier services that fail to deduct and deposit the appropriate taxes could be fined up to 100% of the due amount.
However, there is growing concern that these digital economy taxes could hinder the growth of youth-led online businesses, potentially slowing down momentum in Pakistan’s digital innovation and entrepreneurship sectors.
