LAHORE: While the deadline has now been extended until October 15, tax professionals emphasize that sustained system stability and adequate time will be key for broadening compliance and helping Pakistan reach a new milestone in return filing.
Taxpayers are encouraged to maintain this pace and file early, rather than waiting for another last-minute rush.
The filing trend has shown remarkable momentum in recent days. On September 29, more than 31,713 returns were filed, a figure that almost doubled to 56,639 returns on September 30 as taxpayers rushed to meet the deadline. So far, 4.1 million returns have been submitted, but this remains well short of FBR’s ambitious internal target of 10 million filers for the current fiscal year.
So far, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has received 4.1 million returns, against an ambitious internal target of 10 million filers for the current fiscal year. Last year closed at 7.6 million returns filed, a record that the FBR hopes to cross this year. To surpass that benchmark and reach its 10 million goal, the FBR will need to ensure system stability and provide taxpayers with a reasonable compliance window.
Taxpayers are strongly urged to make the best use of this extension rather than waiting for another nail-biting, last-minute notification. With just two weeks on the clock, timely filing will not only ease individual stress but also help FBR achieve its long-term target of expanding the tax base.
