KARACHI: Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) has approached Prime Minister Imran Khan for the grant of extension in date for income tax returns for tax year 2020.
The last date for filing income tax return is December 08, 2020. However, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has categorically rejected to extend the last date with the argument that it had already provided statutory time to taxpayers for making compliance.
On the other hand, taxpayers, tax practitioners/consultants and business community are of the view that they are facing difficulties such as calculation errors on the IRIS portal. Besides, the working environment is not friendly due to spread of coronavirus.
In this regard, Mian Anjum Nisar, President FPCCI and Sheikh Sultan Rehman Vice President have urged the Advisor to the Prime Minister on Finance Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, and FBR Chairman Muhammad Javed Ghani to extend deadline for filing Annual Income Tax Returns from December 08, 2020 to February 15, 2021.
The President FPCCI said that a large number of business community members have not been able to file their tax returns mainly due to COVID-19 effects on whole of the working environment and now the second wave which is more severe and requiring strict observation of SoPs has also significantly disturbed business activities all over the country.
This has slowed down the normal economic and commercial activities.
He further informed that there are also some discrepancies being faced by the filers in filling of Income Tax Return when a tax payer is requested to file two types of returns relating to partnerships / importers & suppliers.
Mian Anjum Nisar President FPCCI and office bearers of the FPCCI have requested to extend the deadline of filing of Income Tax Return till February 15, 2021 as huge returns are pending for submission due to certain discrepancies while filling the returns, political situation and above all the severe COVID-19 rise in cases all over the country.
