The Federal Board of Revenue has extended the tax year 2026 filing deadline to Oct. 31 following requests from trade bodies and tax bar associations, as returns and tax payments continue to rise.
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has extended the deadline for filing income tax returns for tax year 2026 to Oct. 31, giving taxpayers an additional 16 days to submit their returns and pay any applicable taxes.
The FBR announced the extension in a notification shared on its official X account, saying the decision was taken under Section 214A of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001, following requests from trade bodies and tax bar associations.
The deadline had previously been extended from Sept. 30 to Oct. 15. The latest decision provides further relief to taxpayers who faced difficulties completing the filing process within the earlier timeframe.
Trade Bodies Seek Additional Time
Business organisations and tax professionals had 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 that the government extend the deadline to Oct. 31. He said additional time would help businesses, traders and other taxpayers complete their returns.
The Karachi Tax Bar Association (KTBA) also highlighted problems affecting the filing process. In a five-page letter to the Member Inland Revenue (Operations), the association raised concerns about delays in issuing draft notifications and technical issues with the FBR’s IRIS portal.
These issues created difficulties for taxpayers and tax professionals attempting to submit returns before the previous deadline.
Income Tax Returns Rise 34.38%
Despite the reported challenges, the number of income tax returns filed increased significantly compared with the corresponding period last year.
According to official data available through Oct. 14, taxpayers had filed 6.71 million returns, compared with 4.99 million during the same period last year. The figures represent an increase of 34.38%.
By Sept. 30, the FBR had received 5.76 million returns, up from 3.98 million during the corresponding period last year, an increase of approximately 45%.
Tax payments submitted alongside returns also increased. Collections reached Rs66.81 billion by Oct. 14, compared with Rs58.29 billion during the same period last year, marking a rise of approximately 14.61%.
Non-Salaried Taxpayers Record Strong Growth
Non-salaried individuals recorded particularly strong growth in return filings. This category includes traders, shopkeepers, professionals and self-employed people.
The number of returns filed by non-salaried taxpayers rose 46.35%, from 3.04 million last year to 4.45 million by Oct. 14, 2026.
Salaried individuals also recorded an increase, filing 2.18 million returns compared with 1.88 million during the corresponding period last year. This represented growth of 16.16%.
The latest extension gives taxpayers additional time to address filing difficulties and meet their obligations. Taxpayers covered by the FBR notification should submit their returns by Oct. 31, 2026, to meet the revised deadline.
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