FBR Demonstrates New Tax Return Features to KTBA

KARACHI: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Domain Team has demonstrated several features of the income tax return filing system to representatives of the Karachi Tax Bar Association (KTBA), including tools for reporting immovable-property investments, entering multiple business capital holdings, declaring tax liabilities and recording inherited assets.

The demonstration took place during an online session with KTBA’s leadership and members as part of FBR’s continuing consultations with tax professionals over the design, functionality and overall taxpayer experience of the income tax return system.

During the session, FBR officials maintained that the existing filing platform was operating without significant technical bugs or major functional defects. The team addressed most of the questions raised by participants through live demonstrations and detailed explanations.

Among the features showcased was the process for declaring investments made in immovable property, recording multiple entries related to business capital, reporting taxes under applicable legal provisions and adding inherited property to taxpayer records. The team also clarified that certain details, such as vehicle chassis numbers, are not mandatory and can be left optional.

KTBA President Mehmood Bikiya welcomed FBR’s engagement and said the association appreciated efforts to address its concerns while developing a more responsive and user-friendly tax return system. Vice President Saud ul Hasan also praised the Board for maintaining direct communication with representatives of the business community.

For future versions of the return, KTBA suggested introducing an Excel-upload facility to make large-scale data entry easier. The association also recommended reconsidering the requirement to repeatedly provide financial information in the following year’s return and proposed a system-generated PDF explaining the legal rules governing tax residency.

The tax bar further raised concerns regarding the timing of refund applications, deemed assessment orders and return revisions. FBR’s Domain Team explained that these matters are governed by existing policy, including the 15-day deemed assessment provision, and said the concerns had been forwarded to the Policy Wing for review.

FBR said consultations with tax practitioners and business representatives would continue, with the objective of improving digital filing, reducing complexity and making the tax return process more transparent and taxpayer-friendly.