ISLAMABAD: Despite repeated extensions in the date of filing, Federal Board of Revenue has witnessed a declining trend in filing of income tax returns for Tax Year 2013, an FBR official has revealed.
He said that up to December 14, only 230,000 taxpayers have filed their returns electronically. A lesser number of returns have been filed manually, he said, adding that so far total number of return filers is between 350,000 and 400,000. It is very low result as compared to 735,188 returns filed in Tax Year 2012 for both corporate and non-corporate sector, he added.
The number of return filers may touch 450,000 to 500,000 for Tax Year 2013 in case a very healthy response is witnessed in the last date for filing of returns, he added. Keeping in view an extreme disappointing response of existing taxpayers, the similar trend may continue on the last date for filing of returns.
The official said that the situation is so disappointing that if the return filing crosses 500,000 by the last date it would be a surprise for the tax authorities.