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The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has extended the deadline for filing income tax returns for tax year 2026 to October 31. The extension gives taxpayers an additional 16 days to submit their returns and pay any applicable taxes.
The FBR announced the decision through a notification shared on its official X account. The board said it had extended the deadline under Section 214A of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001, following requests from trade bodies and tax bar associations.
FBR Extends Income Tax Return Filing Deadline Again For Tax Year 2026
The extension applies to taxpayers who were originally required to file their returns by September 30, 2026, and whose deadline had already been extended to October 15.
The FBR had previously moved the deadline from September 30 to October 15. However, business organisations and tax professionals continued to request more time to complete the filing process.
Trade Bodies Seek More Time for Tax Filing
Several business groups and tax professionals called for another extension, citing delays in the availability of tax return forms and heavy traffic on the FBR’s online filing system.
Atif Ikram Sheikh, president of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), had formally requested the government to extend the deadline to October 31. He said additional time would help businesses, traders, and other taxpayers complete their returns.
The Karachi Tax Bar Association (KTBA) also raised concerns about problems affecting the filing process. In a five-page letter to the Member Inland Revenue (Operations), the association highlighted delays in issuing draft notifications and technical issues with the FBR’s IRIS portal.
These difficulties created challenges for taxpayers and tax professionals trying to submit returns before the deadline.
Income Tax Returns Increase by 34.38%
Despite the reported challenges, the number of income tax returns filed has increased significantly compared with the same period last year.
According to official data available until October 14, taxpayers had submitted 6.71 million returns, compared with 4.99 million during the corresponding period last year. This represents an increase of 34.38%.
By September 30, the FBR had received 5.76 million returns, up from 3.98 million during the same period last year. The figures showed an increase of approximately 45%.
The total tax paid alongside returns reached Rs66.81 billion by October 14. This was around 14.61% higher than the Rs58.29 billion collected during the corresponding period last year.
See Also: FBR Introduces New Tax Rules for Non-Resident Social Media Influencers
Non-Salaried Taxpayers Lead Growth
Returns filed by non-salaried individuals recorded particularly strong growth. This category includes traders, shopkeepers, professionals, and self-employed people.
The number of returns filed by non-salaried taxpayers increased by 46.35%, rising from 3.04 million last year to 4.45 million by October 14, 2026.
Meanwhile, salaried individuals filed 2.18 million returns, compared with 1.88 million during the same period last year. This represents an increase of 16.16%.
The latest extension gives eligible taxpayers more time to address filing difficulties and complete their tax obligations.
Taxpayers covered by the FBR’s notification should submit their returns by October 31, 2026, to meet the revised deadline.
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