FPCCI seeks one-month extension to the income tax return deadline

Atif Ikram Sheikh, president of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI), has asked the government and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to push back the income tax return deadline by a month, to October 31, 2026. In a statement issued on Monday, the trade body argued that the change would help businesses, small and medium enterprises and individual taxpayers meet their obligations. Business Recorder reported that the current cutoff of September 30 is approaching while filers face repeated disruptions on the FBR's IRIS portal.

According to the chamber, the portal keeps slowing, glitching and going offline at peak times under heavy traffic, which stops many taxpayers from filing returns and wealth statements on time. Recent amendments to tax laws and reporting rules have added to the confusion, leaving filers needing more time to understand the changes and avoid errors. High inflation and rising operating costs have also stretched small firms that are still completing audits and gathering papers.

FPCCI argued that a longer window would encourage more people to file, raising revenue and improving accuracy, whereas a rushed process would reduce submissions. The federation warned that missing the deadline could leave legitimate firms classed as non-filers, bringing penalties and disruption to commercial activity.