The number of retailers in the country registered under the Tajir Dost Scheme has increased in the wake of the move to block the SIMs of non-filers – bringing their total to 21,870 by May 30, the Federal Board of Revenue data on Friday revealed.

The largest number of retailers was registered in Lahore followed by Karachi.

According to statistics, the number of retailers registered under the scheme in Lahore is 6,706.

Similarly, 5,512 retailers have been registered in Karachi.

The number of retailers registered in Rawalpindi is 2,742 followed by 1,927 in Islamabad.

Besides, 1,857 retailers in Peshawar, 1,226 in Quetta and 1,900 in other cities have also been registered under the scheme.

The government had unveiled the compulsory tax registration scheme for retailers and wholesalers doing business in March this year.

According to an FBR notification, the scheme will apply to traders and shopkeepers operating through a fixed place of business, including stores, shops, warehouses, offices, or similar physical locations within the territorial civil limits, including cantonments.

It added that all non-filing traders would apply for registration under Section 181 of the Income Tax Ordinance 2001.

However, the traders criticised the scheme’s requirement for non-taxpaying retailers to deposit a monthly advance tax.

The FBR had estimated to bring three million retailers into the tax net through the scheme but till April 30, it managed to register only 75 to 105.

But the tax machinery’s move to block the SIMs of non-filers seems to have worked.