FBR extends income tax return filing deadline to October 31

The Federal Board of Revenue has pushed back the due date for submitting Tax Year 2026 income tax returns to October 31, according to Profit by Pakistan Today. Announced on Thursday, the move gives filers two more weeks after an earlier shift from September 30 to October 15. The FBR attributed the change to requests from trade bodies and tax bar associations in its notification.

Business groups and tax practitioners had complained of technical faults and compliance hurdles that slowed filings. The Korangi Association of Trade and Industry asked for a one-month extension, pointing to repeated glitches and slow processing on the IRIS portal. The Hyderabad Chamber of Small Traders and Small Industry also urged more time, saying new return forms, extra disclosure rules and wealth statement reconciliation continued to cause problems.

Tax expert Fazal Faraz contended that the final return form, notified through SRO 1495(I)/2026 on September 2 after a draft under SRO 835(I)/2026 on May 7, obliged the FBR to push the deadline to December 2026. Taxpayers use IRIS, the FBR's internet-based platform, to lodge returns and related declarations. Under the latest change, eligible filers have until October 31 to submit.