ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): Claims are being made on social media that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has announced a 50% reduction in tax liabilities for citizens aged 60 and above.
This claim is inaccurate as no such directive has been issued recently.
Tax reduction claim
On March 15, an Instagram user claimed that the board introduced new tax relief for retirees. “FBR has introduced a new relief for senior citizens over the age of 60 with a 50% reduction on any outstanding tax obligations,” the post claimed. Identical claims were also shared on X and Facebook.
Fact
The FBR has not announced any new tax exemption or reduction for senior citizens.
According to an FBR official, the claim is false. “This is completely incorrect. Such a policy existed in 2010, but it was abolished through the Finance Act 2014,” the official said, adding that old information is being recirculated and misrepresented as a current policy.
It is to mention here that in 2010, the FBR had introduced a 50% tax rebate for senior citizens. However, that policy is no longer in effect.
Verdict
The FBR has not recently announced any 50% tax reduction for senior citizens. The claim is based on an outdated policy from 2010 that was withdrawn in 2014.
