FBR Announces Decision on Income Tax Filing Deadline

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has extended the deadline for filing Income Tax Returns for Tax Year 2025. Originally due on September 30, 2025, the deadline had already been pushed to October 15 under Circular No. 4 of 2025‑26. Now, in response to appeals from trade groups and tax lawyers, it will be extended further – until October 31, 2025. Business groups, tax professionals, and other stakeholders had urged the FBR to provide more time. Their requests cited difficulties like delays in acquiring financial records, glitches in the IRIS e‑filing portal, and challenges in integrating Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems with FBR systems. Officials had earlier resisted further extensions, warning of penalties for late filers. But pressure reportedly grew, prompting reconsideration. The new extension is being framed under Section 214A of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 — the same legal authority used for the earlier change to October 15. In the first three and a half months of the current fiscal year (up to October 15), the number of people who filed tax returns has exceeded 5.06 million, compared to 4.60 million during the same period last year. A total of 7.6 million individuals filed tax returns in 2024–25. For millions of individuals and businesses preparing their returns, this extension is a relief. The additional two weeks should ease the burden on taxpayers struggling with technical delays or documentation challenges. However, taxpayers should not wait until the last minute. Errors, slow portal performance, and incomplete submissions remain risks.