FBR extends tax return deadline to October 15 | The Express Tribune

The Federal Board of Revenue has extended the deadline for taxpayers to submit their income tax returns for the financial year 2024-2025 by October 15.

The decision to extend the deadline was made in response to requests from various business associations, tax bar associations, and the general public.

In a circular issued by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Tuesday, it was announced that the last date for filing income tax returns had been extended under Section 214(A) of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001.

The FBR clarified that the extension would allow taxpayers additional time to comply with their filing obligations, aiming to ease the burden on those who were struggling to meet the original deadline.

A day earlier, FBR had announced that the deadline for filing income tax returns would not be extended beyond September 30.In a statement, the FBR had urged taxpayers to file their returns “accurately and honestly” by the due date, warning that those who failed to do so would face penalties and be categorised as late filers.

“Taxpayers were also cautioned that failure to file returns by the due date would result in late-filer status and imposition of penalties under the law,” it added.

The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) had urged the government to extend the deadline for filing income tax returns till October 31 to facilitate the business community in fulfilling their obligations.

In a statement issued, LCCI President Mian Abuzar Shad, Senior Vice President Engineer Khalid Usman and Vice President Shahid Nazir Chaudhry appealed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Rashid Langrial to announce the extension.

They said that due to devastating floods in many parts of the country and several other pressing issues, a large number of taxpayers will be unable to meet the current deadline of September 30. Adequate time, they stressed, must be given to the business community to complete the filing process. The LCCI leaders added that the FBR’s online filing system is under heavy load, causing delays and difficulties for genuine taxpayers.

“The business community is the backbone of Pakistan’s economy, and the government should adopt a more flexible and facilitative approach in its policies,” the statement read.

Last week, Hyderabad Chamber of Small Traders and Small Industry urged the federal government to extend the income tax filing deadline by 48 days, citing changes in the IRIS portal and flood situation in Punjab, K-P and Sindh.

In a statement the chamber’s president Muhammad Saleem Memon argued that the desired relief is necessary to facilitate taxpayers and to prevent them from being subjected to avoidable penalties and hardships.