Islamabad, July 30 - Only 2.5 million of 172 million Pakistanis pay taxes. Of them, 1.8 million are salaried and paid Rs.27.37 billion in taxes during the just ended fiscal 2008-09, the Senate was informed Thursday.

The figures were furnished by Minister of State for Finance and Economic Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar, Online news agency reported.

Replying to questions, she said the revenue accrued from tax collection constituted only 9.6 percent of the GDP.

'Besides broadening the tax net to increase taxes, those who were registered tax payers but were not paying tax would have to be persuaded to pay tax,' she added.

Responding to a question, Khar said: 'We have to extend our hands to international donor agencies to seek loans after every two years as tax revenue targets are not met.