DLP Report
PESHAWAR
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is considering a substantial reduction in the annual professional tax imposed on non-practising doctors, with the proposed changes expected to be incorporated into the Finance Bill 2026, Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Minister Syed Fakhar Jehan said during a meeting with a delegation of medical professionals on Friday.
The delegation, led by former Insaf Doctors Forum provincial president Dr Nabi Jan Afridi, discussed the concerns of the medical community regarding the existing professional tax on doctors who do not engage in private practice and urged the government to either abolish or significantly reduce the levy.
According to the proposals under consideration, the annual professional tax for Grade-17 medical officers would be reduced from around Rs40,000 to Rs1,800, while the tax for Grade-18 consultants, currently between Rs70,000 and Rs80,000, would be lowered to Rs2,100 per annum. The proposed tax for Grade-19 consultants has been fixed at Rs2,400 annually.
The minister clarified that the existing tax structure for practising doctors would remain unchanged.
Mr Jehan said the provincial government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi, was taking practical measures to improve public welfare, strengthen healthcare services and facilitate professional communities.
He added that reducing the financial burden on non-practising doctors would address their longstanding concerns and help boost the morale of healthcare professionals serving in the public sector.
“The government is committed to resolving the genuine issues faced by different segments of society and is working to make the tax system more balanced, equitable and people-friendly,” he said.
The minister also assured the delegation that every possible effort would be made to address the concerns of the medical community.
The delegation welcomed the proposed relief measures and appreciated the provincial government’s initiative, particularly the efforts of the excise minister, in addressing the issue.
