Big News for Income Tax Return Filers: Proposal for New Date Emerges
Karachi (Qudrat Daily) — A demand has emerged for a one-month extension in the deadline for filing income tax returns. The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) has demanded that the government and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) extend the deadline for filing returns for tax year 2026 from September 30 to October 31.
According to FPCCI President Atif Ikram Sheikh, a one-month extension would give traders, business entities, tax experts, and other taxpayers additional time to complete their returns. He said that under the current situation, the extension could facilitate taxpayers while also helping improve tax compliance and broaden the tax net.
According to the FPCCI, the FBR’s IRIS portal is facing slow speeds, technical issues, and downtime due to heavy traffic. The business body said that because of these problems, a number of taxpayers are facing difficulties in submitting their returns and wealth statements on time.
Atif Ikram Sheikh argued that taxpayers should not have to bear the consequences of technical problems in the digital system. According to him, the business community is also facing difficulties this year due to new forms, additional information requirements, and reporting demands in the tax return filing process.
Meanwhile, the FPCCI said that small and medium-sized businesses are already struggling due to inflation and economic pressure. According to the body, if additional time is not granted for filing returns, some business entities could face non-filer status and penalties.
According to available FBR information, the deadline for filing income tax returns for individuals and associations of persons is September 30. However, as of September 28, the extension to October 31 remains a demand by the FPCCI and other business and tax organizations; no final announcement of the extension has come from the FBR.
Previously, various tax bar associations and trade organizations had also demanded a one-month extension in the deadline for filing returns for tax year 2026.
