Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani has said the newly operationalized Asaan Tax Scheme aims to simplify tax procedures for traders and shopkeepers while broadening the national tax base.

He was speaking during a meeting in Karachi with representatives of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry and trade and shopkeeper associations from Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur.

The Minister of State said the scheme had been introduced in response to the demands of the business community and would provide a simplified, user-friendly registration process through an Urdu-language online form.

Under the scheme, registered shopkeepers will pay a simplified one-percent tax on their declared annual sales turnover, while tax deducted through utility bills will remain fully adjustable.

He further announced that, on the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, senior FBR officials would spend one week every month in Karachi to resolve business-related grievances and facilitate traders.