The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has unexpectedly extended the deadline for filing income tax returns for the tax year 2025 to October 15. This decision, announced late on Tuesday night as the September 30 deadline was set to expire, marks a clear reversal of the FBR's firm stance against granting any extensions.
Decision Driven by Public and Trade Pressure
The FBR's move, made under Section 214A of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001, signals that the tax authority has yielded to significant pressure.
The official announcement stated that the extension was granted "in response to requests made by various trade bodies, tax bar associations and the general public."
FBR’s Previous Commitment
Just a day earlier, the FBR had strongly urged taxpayers to file on time, explicitly ruling out any extension and dismissing all reports suggesting otherwise. The board had refuted claims that the recent floods or issues with the tax filing system (Iris) had necessitated an extension, terming such reports "false, baseless, and misleading."
Despite these prior commitments, the deadline has now been officially pushed back by two weeks.
