In a familiar reversal, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has extended the deadline for filing income tax returns, just a day after firmly ruling out any relaxation.
On Monday, the FBR had declared September 30 the final date for submissions, dismissing extension rumors as false and warning of penalties for late filers. However, within 24 hours, the authority announced a 15-day extension, allowing taxpayers until October 15 to file their returns.
According to the notification, the extension was approved under Section 214A of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001, following appeals from tax bar associations, business groups, and the public.
The move sparked mixed reactions, as the FBR has often granted last-minute extensions despite initially rejecting them.
This year’s filing process has been marred by technical glitches in the upgraded IRIS system. Many taxpayers reported login failures, error messages, and issues with data verification, despite FBR’s claims of smooth operations.
Business bodies had also pushed for relief, citing flood damage and system malfunctions.
While the FBR earlier warned that late filers would face penalties, the new deadline offers temporary relief. Whether this extension proves final remains uncertain, given the authority’s history of repeated deadline shifts.
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