Hyderabad Chamber of Small Traders and Small Industry (HCSTSI) has formally urged federal government to extend the income tax filing deadline by 48 days, pointing to ongoing technical issues with the IRIS portal and the severe flooding situation affecting Punjab, KPK, and Sindh. Muhammad Saleem Memon, HCSTSI president, stated that the extension is critical to prevent taxpayers from facing undue penalties and financial hardships while navigating an evolving digital tax environment.
This year, FBR introduced multiple changes to the IRIS tax return system, including automated data uploading, interactive forms, and a new verification mechanism designed to streamline the filing process. However, Memon explained that the platform has yet to become fully operational, resulting in persistent login issues, repeated error messages, and unclear notifications such as ‘receipt value’ discrepancies. Many accountants and salaried taxpayers have reported challenges in submitting accurate returns, highlighting systemic difficulties in adapting to the updated digital framework. Memon emphasized that strict enforcement of the current deadline under these conditions would unfairly affect thousands of taxpayers, especially small traders and professionals who rely on timely access to financial records.
Flooding across major provinces has compounded the problem, with disruptions to electricity, internet services, and banking infrastructure preventing traders and salaried individuals from completing their filings on time. Memon noted that in many affected areas, access to essential documents and transactional data has been severely limited, making compliance within the original timeframe extremely difficult or impossible. He highlighted that the combination of technical portal issues and natural disasters underscores the need for immediate intervention to ensure that taxpayers are not penalized for circumstances beyond their control.
HCSTSI has called on federal authorities to announce an extension promptly to allow affected taxpayers sufficient time to complete their filings. The chamber stressed that a reasonable extension would provide relief to a wide range of individuals and businesses struggling to navigate both the evolving digital tax system and the disruptions caused by ongoing flooding. By granting additional time, FBR would support smoother tax compliance, reduce errors in submissions, and protect taxpayers from avoidable financial consequences while reinforcing the importance of a functional and accessible digital tax infrastructure for all regions of the country.
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