Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani on Monday reaffirmed the government's support for small shopkeepers, saying the Small Shopkeepers Scheme, also known as the Retailer Scheme, is the simplest such initiative in the country's 79-year history. Kayani opened a follow-up awareness meeting on the Small Shopkeepers Scheme at the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Headquarters in Islamabad, engaging participants both in person and virtually via Zoom.

Highlighting the Retailer Scheme's core features, including simplified registration procedures, flexible payment options and a tailored operational framework designed to ease compliance for small retailers, the minister declared the scheme to be the simplest in the country's 79-year history. He said the scheme had been prepared in line with the vision and instructions of the Prime Minister of Pakistan. He described it as a historic opportunity for traders to participate, fulfil their national duties and strengthen the national economy.

Supporting Minister Kayani's stance, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Rashid Mahmood Langrial reiterated the government's commitment to the initiative, noting that small shopkeepers can register and show legal liability by paying just a 1% turnover tax. He assured traders of maximum facilitation, stating that registered green plates would serve as a safeguard against unnecessary tax collector scrutiny, while warning that uncooperative traders would face strict legal action.

Trade leaders welcomed the streamlined digital tools, confirming their continuous involvement in the consultative process and expressing full support for the government's simplified vision presented by Minister Kayani.