Pakistan govt denies raising GST at IMF demand: report

The Pakistan government has decided to retain the General Sales Tax (GST) rate at 18%, rejecting pressure from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to increase the rate.

According to government sources, the Prime Minister has turned down a proposal to raise the sales tax by one percentage point.

While budget negotiations between Pakistan and the IMF have largely been concluded, discussions regarding a reduction in income tax rates are expected to continue.

The budget for the upcoming fiscal year is projected to be approximately Rs 18 trillion, with a tax revenue target of Rs 15.264 trillion.

The Government is also preparing to collect Rs 1.727 trillion from the public through the Petroleum Development Levy (PDL).