ISLAMABAD - The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Friday extended the date for filing income tax returns for tax year 2018.
The FBR has extended the deadline till September 30 this year to enhance the number of tax filers, which remained slow during initial months of a tax year. “In exercise of the powers conferred under section 214A of Income Tax Ordinance 2001, the Federal Board of Revenue is pleased to extend the date of filing income tax returns/statements for the tax year 2018 as the date of filing income tax returns required to be filed through e-portal in the cases of salaries individuals, which were due on August 31 2018 is hereby extended up to 30 September 2018,” according to a notification issued by FBR.
Pakistan Tax Bar Association (PTBA) had already urged the FBR to extend the date for filing income tax returns and wealth statements for tax year 2018. In a letter addressed to chairman FBR Dr Muhammad Jahanzeb Khan, the PTBA President Abdul Qadir Memon argued that multiple amendments have been made to the income tax return and wealth statement forms during 2018 up until the date of uploading the forms i.e. Aug 17.
However, the last date for filing tax returns has been set at Aug 31 leaving only 14 days – including Eid holidays – for the taxpayers. Furthermore, the PTBA drew FBR’s attention to the matter of corporate tax returns for the tax year 2018 as well. The letter highlighted that the last date for filing corporate tax returns has been set in September 2018 but the revenue body has still not provided any details to filers.
The PTI led federal government wants to broaden the tax base of the country by bringing non-taxpayers into tax net.
Finance Minister Asad Umar has told the Senate during question hour that the new FBR chairman has been appointed and next week a meeting will be held with the FBR officials to discuss implementation of the reforms strategy. He said currently one and half million people are filling their tax returns and there is a room to further enhance the figure to about three million.