KARACHI: The Karachi Tax Bar Association (KTBA) has urged the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to extend the income tax return filing deadline, saying taxpayers need additional time to prepare and electronically submit accurate returns.
A KTBA delegation raised the matter during a meeting with FBR Chairman Rashid Mahmood Langrial and senior officials in Karachi on September 9. The delegation highlighted the growing amount of information required in tax returns and said additional time would help taxpayers meet compliance requirements accurately.
The tax lawyers supported FBR’s efforts to improve tax compliance but stressed the importance of facilitating taxpayers during the filing process.
Technical problems with FBR’s IRIS portal were also discussed during the meeting. According to FBR, around 2.2 million income tax returns had been filed by September 9, compared with 1.724 million during the corresponding period last year.
FBR and KTBA agreed to continue coordination to ensure the smooth functioning of the IRIS portal and resolve technical issues faced by taxpayers.
The meeting also covered refunds of tax collected under Section 7E of the Income Tax Ordinance. FBR officials said a mechanism was being developed to ensure the timely issuance of valid refunds.
The tax authority also said appropriate instructions would be issued to prioritize genuine refund claims.
Other issues discussed during the meeting included digital integration, electronic invoicing, faceless audits, artificial intelligence-based tax assessments, and the Small Shopkeeper Scheme.
The request for an extension comes as taxpayers continue to face technical and documentation challenges while completing their income tax returns through the FBR’s digital filing system.
