Pakistani Content Creators And Influencers Urge FBR to Reform Digital Creator Tax Framework
Pakistan’s digital content creators and social media influencers are calling on the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to overhaul the country’s taxation framework for online earnings, arguing that current rules stifle the growth of the creator economy. The Express Tribune
Key concerns centre on the 30% expense ceiling FBR allows against total revenue; a figure creators say fails to reflect real production costs. They are also pushing for recognition of irregular income patterns unique to digital work, along with a fairer minimum revenue benchmark currently set at Rs195 per 1,000 YouTube views.
Music entrepreneur Sher Muhammad stated that “taxation should not become a barrier to the growth of the country’s content-creation industry,” while Dr. Noman Ahmed Said, CEO of SI Global Solutions, called for a system that acknowledges creators’ actual costs and unpredictable earnings cycles.
Pakistani content is gaining global traction through platforms like YouTube and Instagram, yet creator earnings remain largely unreported domestically. Industry voices warn that without reform, Pakistan risks losing its growing pool of digital talent to more creator-friendly tax environments.
Read our previous article on Taxation in Pakistan here.
