FPCCI Seeks FBR Tax Return Deadline Extension To October 31

The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) has urged the government to extend the income tax return filing deadline by one month, seeking a new deadline of October 31 due to technical problems with the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) IRIS portal.

FPCCI President Atif Ikram Sheikh said on Monday that repeated slowdowns, glitches and outages on the FBR’s online filing system were creating difficulties for taxpayers and tax practitioners ahead of the existing September 30 deadline.

He called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and the FBR chairman to approve the extension, saying taxpayers needed additional time to complete their income tax returns and wealth statements without facing penalties because of technical issues.

According to FPCCI, heavy traffic on the IRIS portal has made online filing particularly difficult during peak hours for businesses, individual taxpayers, tax lawyers and chartered accountants.

The business body also pointed to recent changes in tax laws and reporting requirements, saying taxpayers require more time to reconcile their accounts and accurately complete wealth statements.

FPCCI said small and medium-sized enterprises were facing further challenges in completing audits and gathering the required documentation amid rising operating costs and wider economic pressures.

Sheikh said extending the deadline would help increase the number of active tax filers and improve compliance, rather than providing a concession to taxpayers.

FPCCI warned that keeping the September 30 deadline despite the reported technical and administrative problems could result in otherwise compliant businesses and individuals being classified as non-filers and exposed to penalties.