The Salaried Class Alliance of Pakistan (SCAP) has rejected the government’s claim of giving income tax relief in Budget 2025–26. In a press conference at Karachi Press Club, SCAP members said the Rs10 billion relief is just “number juggling.” They accused the government of misleading the public with small reductions while planning to collect Rs540 billion from salaried employees in FY26. That is almost the same as the Rs550 billion collected in the current year.
SCAP representatives explained that the actual benefit to middle-income earners is very low. For example, people may save only Rs7,000 per month under the new tax brackets. The fixed tax for some income groups has been reduced, but higher earners still face the same tax rates. While the super tax has been cut by one percent, SCAP said the overall burden remains high. They believe the changes will not improve the lives of salaried workers.
According to SCAP, the government has increased the tax burden on salaried individuals by 7 to 8 times in recent years. They said this group is an easy target because it follows the rules and does not protest. Unlike other sectors, salaried people cannot block roads or stage sit-ins to make their demands heard. They added that despite paying more taxes than traders and exporters, they receive little in return.
The group demanded at least a 2.5% tax cut for all income slabs. They also called for the full removal of the super tax. SCAP warned that if the current tax proposal becomes law, they will challenge it in court. Parliament has not yet approved the Finance Bill, so there is still time to make changes. SCAP urged the government to act before public frustration grows.
Members like Rizwan Hussain and Iesha Fazal described the relief as unfair and disrespectful to honest taxpayers. They said this policy adds pressure on families already struggling with inflation and high costs. SCAP called the government’s relief package a “joke” and demanded fair treatment. They said the current proposals offer no real difference and must be revised before final approval.