Income tax returns: HCSTSI urges FBR to extend deadline

Business Recorder reported that the Hyderabad Chamber of Small Traders and Small Industry has asked the Finance Minister and the FBR Chairman to move the Tax Year 2026 return filing cutoff to 31 October 2026. The request came from the chamber's president, senior vice president and vice president, who signed a joint statement.

The office-bearers said that, even after a 15-day extension, traders, small and medium enterprises and tax consultants still struggled with new return forms, extra disclosure requirements, wealth statement reconciliation and glitches on the IRIS portal. They added that the final return forms were notified on 2 September 2026, which left little time to gather information and file accurate returns.

They said a workable system and enough time were needed for the government's wider tax base and digital initiatives to succeed, and that the request was not an attempt to avoid tax duties. The chamber also asked that those filing within the extended window be shielded from penalties and adverse consequences caused solely by the delay.