Is FBR ready to accept 15 days extension for tax filing deadline?

A proposal to extend the tax filing deadline for 2024 by 15 days is under consideration, with trade organizations and tax bar associations pushing for a one-month extension, sources revealed.

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is facing an unusual surge in activity on its Iris portal, causing significant slowdowns in the online system.

Although the category of employees was able to submit their returns without major problems, those filing returns involving large data sets or complex files encountered serious processing difficulties.

Currently, more than 3.5 million taxpayers have submitted their returns, with the number of filers doubling compared to the same period last year.

Despite this, concerns about the system’s ability to handle the load have led to requests for additional time.

With the approval of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the official notification of the 15-day extension is expected to be issued within the current deadline. However, business groups and tax experts continue to push for a longer extension, up to a month, to accommodate the large number of backlogged returns.