Tax practitioners have urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to extend the deadline for filing income tax returns and wealth statements for Tax Year 2026 from September 30 to November 30, 2026, citing a range of operational and financial difficulties that they say are preventing taxpayers and professionals from completing the filing process within the existing timeframe. The request comes as taxpayers and tax advisers face the final days before the current deadline, with practitioners raising concerns over the slow performance of the Federal Board of Revenue’s IRIS portal, load-shedding in several areas, financial constraints and a substantial volume of returns still requiring preparation and submission.
The demand was formally raised by Javed Iqbal Qazi, Advocate Supreme Court and Chairman of the Pakistan Tax Advisers Association, in a letter addressed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Copies of the communication were also forwarded to the Finance Minister, Chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), and Member of Inland Revenue Operations. In the letter, the tax practitioners maintained that the existing September 30 deadline should be reconsidered in view of the prevailing circumstances, arguing that the current target for filing the required number of returns could not be achieved within the remaining time.
According to the practitioners, the filing process has been affected by several factors, including financial constraints and the broader economic difficulties faced by taxpayers. They also highlighted problems with the IRIS system, describing the portal as slow and, at times, non-functional. Load-shedding in different parts of the country was cited as another obstacle, particularly for taxpayers and professionals who depend on reliable internet and electricity services to prepare, upload and submit tax documents. The practitioners further pointed to the heavy workload being carried by tax advisers, advocates and chartered accountants during the filing period.
The letter noted that a large number of taxpayers rely on professional advisers to prepare their income tax returns and wealth statements. The practitioners said the process requires considerable time because returns must first be prepared, followed by payment of tax liabilities through Computerised Payment Receipt (CPR) facilities in banks and subsequent submission through the IRIS system. With a significant volume of filings concentrated around the deadline, they argued that technical delays and interruptions can create additional pressure and reduce the amount of time available to complete the required procedures.
Another concern raised by the tax practitioners was the absence of the manual return facility for low-income taxpayers on the IRIS system. According to the letter, the facility had not yet been uploaded, creating additional difficulties for taxpayers who are required to fulfil their filing obligations. The practitioners said the issue should be addressed as part of efforts to make the filing process more accessible, particularly for taxpayers who may have fewer resources or less capacity to navigate technical difficulties associated with online filing.
Qazi also raised concerns over the performance of the IRIS portal, stating that the system was operating slowly and that uploading returns could take considerable time. The practitioners said these technical difficulties were adding to the workload of both taxpayers and tax professionals at a time when the September 30 deadline was approaching. For professionals handling multiple returns, delays in uploading documents and completing online submissions could create further bottlenecks during the final stage of the filing period.
The letter also referred to disturbances in various major cities, saying that such developments had adversely affected the routine work of taxpayers and tax practitioners. The practitioners further cited unrest in the country and the financial position of taxpayers as factors affecting their ability to deposit tax liabilities into the government exchequer. They argued that taxpayers facing financial pressures may require additional time to arrange funds, complete payments and subsequently finalize their returns through the tax authority’s online system.
Tax practitioners said representations had been received from their members across the country, reflecting concerns over the difficulties being encountered during the Tax Year 2026 filing process. They described the request for an extension as a demand aimed at facilitating taxpayers and tax professionals while allowing the authorities to receive a greater number of completed returns. The practitioners maintained that additional time would help address the technical, financial and administrative obstacles currently affecting the filing process.
The association has therefore called for the filing deadline to be moved from September 30 to November 30, 2026. The practitioners argued that extending the deadline would provide taxpayers and professionals with additional time to prepare returns, arrange payment of tax liabilities and complete submissions through the IRIS portal. They also maintained that the additional period could support the Federal Board of Revenue in achieving the financial targets set for the filing period by enabling more taxpayers to complete their obligations rather than leaving returns pending because of operational difficulties.
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