Karachi, August 12, 2025 – In a stinging critique of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), former top tax czar Rehmatullah Khan Wazir has sounded the alarm over the agency’s failure to meet a critical legal obligation — the notification of the finalized income tax return form for Tax Year 2025.
Wazir, a veteran of the FBR who retired at the elite BS-22 rank after holding nearly every top Inland Revenue post, minced no words. Citing the Income Tax Rules, 2002, he declared the law “crystal clear” and warned that ignoring it fuels chaos and undermines taxpayer confidence.
He reminded that the FBR issued SRO 1212(I)/2025 on July 8, 2025, publishing a draft return form. By law, the final form must be notified within 30 days. Yet, more than a month later, silence prevails. “The FBR should have incorporated stakeholder feedback and issued the final return form immediately to end this dangerous uncertainty,” Wazir emphasized.
In a sharp rebuke, Wazir questioned how the e-filing portal could be opened for taxpayers without the legally required final form. He stressed that the return is not a formality but a statutory instrument embedded in the Income Tax Rules, 2002.
Wazir urged the FBR to not only issue the finalized form but also publicly explain all changes — especially those stemming from the Finance Act, 2024, and any retrospective amendments in the Finance Act, 2025. “Even if there are no changes, the FBR is legally bound to issue the SRO for the final return form. It’s not optional — it’s the law,” he declared.
With the September 30 deadline looming, Wazir’s warning lands as a shot across the bow for the FBR, signaling that further delay could push the filing season into complete disarray.