FBR Receives Record 7.5 Million Tax Returns

FBR Receives Record 7.5 Million Tax Returns by October 30

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) received a record 7.5 million income tax returns by October 30, 2026, compared with 5.7 million filings recorded by the same date last year. This represents an increase of 1.8 million returns.

The rise in filings comes as the Pakistan Tax Bar Association (PTBA) and Lahore Tax Bar Association (LTBA) have requested another extension to the Tax Year 2026 filing deadline, arguing that taxpayers have not been given sufficient time to complete their returns.

However, FBR sources said the authority had no intention of extending the deadline further and would impose penalties on those who failed to submit their returns.

In a letter addressed to FBR Chairman Rashid Mahmood Langrial, PTBA President Sheikh Ahsan Ul Haq and General Secretary Tahir Mahmood Butt sought an additional 34 days. They argued that the original filing notification was issued on September 2, resulting in a 64-day delay from July 1.

According to the association, the two 15-day extensions already granted by the FBR only partially addressed the delay, leaving taxpayers with 34 fewer days than the prescribed filing period.

Meanwhile, the LTBA separately called for taxpayers to be given the complete statutory period of 90 days to file their returns.

The PTBA also expressed concerns about tax collection, pointing to figures showing that 7.3 million returns filed by October 29 generated Rs85 billion, compared with Rs88.5 billion collected during the same period last year.

The association maintained that granting additional time could encourage taxpayers with higher tax liabilities to complete their filings, potentially improving overall revenue collection.