ISLAMABAD: In a late-night move on Tuesday, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) extended the deadline for filing income tax returns for the tax year 2025 by 15 days, pushing the new cutoff date to October 15, 2025.
The tax authority said the decision was made under Section 214A of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001, in response to persistent demands from trade bodies, tax bar associations, and members of the general public.
Until just a day earlier, however, the FBR had categorically denied reports of any extension, declaring September 30 as the final date. In a strongly worded statement on Monday, the authority had dismissed the speculation as “false, baseless, and misleading,” while cautioning taxpayers that penalties and late-filer status would apply to those missing the deadline.
The FBR also rejected claims that its IRIS platform had slowed down, insisting that the online system was “fully operational” and capable of handling the large volume of filings. It stressed that the majority of taxpayers reside in areas unaffected by recent floods and have had sufficient time to discharge their obligations.
The abrupt reversal, however, reflects mounting pressure from professional bodies and the business community, many of whom had urged the government to provide additional time amid procedural delays and filing challenges.