KCCI urges FBR to extend income tax return deadline amid ‘technical issues’

KARACHI: President of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) Iftikhar Ahmed Sheikh has requested the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to extend the deadline for filing income tax returns by one month, until October 31, 2024, to allow a maximum number of taxpayers to submit their returns.

In a statement, the president of the KCCI said that many members of the business community were extensively engaged in the election activities of chambers of commerce and other trade bodies throughout Pakistan during September, which hindered their ability to complete the mandatory documentation required for submitting income tax returns. Therefore, he urged the FBR to extend the deadline, which is currently set to end on September 30, 2024.

He also reported that several members of the KCCI had complained on Wednesday that the IRIS portal for submitting income tax returns was inoperative in the morning. Even when it became partially accessible, the portal was slow, causing significant anxiety among taxpayers who were unable to update their information. “Every year, as the filing deadline approaches, we receive complaints about the system’s malfunctioning and slow performance. This issue needs to be addressed by enhancing the capacity of the IRIS system,” he stated.

Sheikh emphasized that while the FBR announced stricter measures for non-filers, it was not focusing on improving the efficiency and capacity of the IRIS system, which requires urgent attention. “The system must be simplified to the extent that taxpayers can submit their returns independently, rather than having to hire tax consultants, which adds to their expenses,” he explained, adding that cumbersome procedures are a key reason why many individuals are discouraged from becoming filers.