Pakistan to tax social media earnings, bring influencers into tax net

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s tax authority has decided to impose taxes on income generated through social media platforms, aiming to bring YouTubers and digital influencers into the formal tax net, officials said.

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has introduced new rules governing digital income under statutory regulatory orders SRO 545(I)/2026 and SRO 546(I)/2026.

Under the new framework, earnings generated through platforms such as YouTube and other social media channels will be subject to taxation, with a specific mechanism introduced to assess and collect taxes from digital content creators.

The rules will also apply to non-resident social media creators who have more than 50,000 users or followers in Pakistan, expanding the scope of taxation beyond domestic earners.

FBR has estimated income at a rate of 195 rupees per 1,000 views for taxation purposes, while YouTubers and influencers will be required to pay advance tax on a quarterly basis.

The move is part of efforts to bring the rapidly growing digital economy into the tax net and improve revenue collection, the authority said. Officials said the new system would establish a structured taxation mechanism for online earnings, reflecting the increasing role of digital platforms in Pakistan’s economy