ISLAMABAD: In a late-night announcement, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) extended the deadline for filing 2025 income tax returns. The new cutoff is now October 15, instead of September 30.
Earlier, the FBR had insisted that no extension would be allowed. Taxpayers were repeatedly urged to submit returns by the original deadline. However, growing pressure from trade associations, tax bar councils, and the public led the FBR to reconsider its decision.
The extension was granted under Section 214A of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001. The FBR stated that this decision responds to broad-based appeals and aims to ease compliance for taxpayers.
The move comes just a day after the board dismissed social media rumors about a possible extension as “false and misleading.” The FBR also denied claims that technical issues in its Iris system caused delays. Authorities added that some groups had tried to leverage the recent floods to demand a deadline extension.
Revenue collection remains a challenge for the FBR. For the first quarter of the fiscal year 2025-26 (July to September), the board collected Rs2,886 billion, falling Rs197 billion short of the Rs3,083 billion target. September 2025 saw particularly low collections, with the FBR missing its Rs1,384 billion monthly target by Rs154 billion.
Officials clarified that the reported figures are provisional. Final adjustments could slightly improve revenue numbers, but the shortfall highlights the ongoing challenges faced by the FBR in meeting its targets.
Taxpayers are advised to file their income tax returns before the new October 15 deadline to avoid penalties and comply with FBR regulations.
In other news read more about No Extension in Tax Return Filing Deadline, Says FBR
