ISLAMABAD – Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb said the new simplified tax return system would be operational by September 2025, ahead of the next tax filing season.
He revealed it in meeting with a a visiting delegation from Afiniti, a leading AI technology firm. The delegation was led by Mr. Jerome Vaughan Kapelus, CEO of Afiniti Software Solutions Pvt Ltd, and included Wedley Howard Fink, CFO of Afiniti, Osman Asghar Khan, MD & GM of Afiniti Pakistan, and Fakhar Ejaz, Senior Vice President of Global HR at Afiniti.
Minister Aurangzeb provided an update on the government’s efforts to simplify the tax return process.
He highlighted the reduction in the number of fields in the tax return forms for the salaried class, which is expected to encourage greater participation in the tax system.
The meeting focused on discussions regarding Afiniti’s expanding business operations in Pakistan, the recruitment of talent, and associated issues related to the taxation structure.
Jerome Vaughan Kapelus shared details about Afiniti’s operations, noting that nearly 80 percent of its operational support team is based in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad.
He highlighted the company’s growth over the years, with its customer base now spanning North America, Europe, and other regions globally.
Aurangzeb noted that information technology (IT) and IT-enabled services, along with agriculture, represent major growth sectors for Pakistan, with the unique advantage that much of the input for these sectors remains local. He assured the delegation that the government is committed to creating an enabling ecosystem for both IT and agriculture to thrive.
The minister also briefed the delegation about the launch of the Pakistan Crypto Council, a new initiative aimed at regulating and integrating blockchain technology and digital assets into the country’s financial landscape.
