Karachi, July 8, 2025 — The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has officially announced the deadlines for filing income tax returns for Tax Year (TY) 2025. However, a growing wave of concern is emerging among taxpayers due to the FBR’s failure to release the necessary return forms—putting millions at risk of missing crucial deadlines.
According to the FBR, under the provisions of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001, the deadline for salaried individuals, business proprietors, Association of Persons (AOPs), and companies with a special accounting year (including banks) is September 30, 2025. Meanwhile, the deadline for corporate entities with an accounting year ending June 30 is December 31, 2025.
Despite these clearly defined deadlines, the FBR has yet to issue the official income tax return forms for TY2025. This delay has raised alarm bells among tax professionals and taxpayers alike, who stress that timely access to return forms is essential for meeting filing obligations. With the return filing season having officially started on July 1, many taxpayers find themselves in limbo as the FBR has failed to provide the necessary tools to comply with its own deadlines.
Last year, the FBR issued draft income tax return forms for TY2024 on June 21 and finalized them by July 4. This timely issuance allowed ample time for consultation with stakeholders and smooth filing. This year, however, the tax authority has not even issued draft forms—making it highly unlikely that the process will be completed in time.
Tax experts argue that the FBR is violating Rule 34A of the Income Tax Rules, 2002, which mandates a specific timeline for form issuance. The rule states that the draft return form should be published for feedback by December 1 of the financial year to which it relates. The final version must be released by January 31. The rule further outlines a meticulous schedule involving preparation of Change Request Forms (CRFs), testing, and consultations with PRAL and IT wings.
Yet, none of these steps appear to have been followed in the current year, leaving stakeholders frustrated. The PRAL system, responsible for managing IRIS—the FBR’s online tax portal—is also awaiting inputs, delaying further development and user acceptance testing (UAT) of the return forms.
One FBR official, speaking on condition of anonymity, admitted the delay was due to ongoing internal policy discussions and lack of coordination between relevant departments. “The timelines are already laid down in black and white,” the official said. “If we don’t follow them, how can we expect compliance from taxpayers?”
The consequences of this delay are serious. Without the return forms, individuals and businesses cannot initiate the filing process. This puts taxpayers at risk of penalties for late filing—despite the delay being no fault of their own. “We are being cornered into non-compliance,” said a Karachi-based tax consultant. “You can’t expect people to meet deadlines when you haven’t provided them with the return forms.”
Adding to the uncertainty is the lack of official communication from the FBR. Tax professionals say they’ve received no updates or notifications about a new timeline for issuing the forms. This has created confusion and unease within the taxpayer community, particularly among those who require more time to prepare documentation, calculate liabilities, and review their compliance.
Stakeholders are now urging the FBR to not only expedite the release of income tax return forms but also to consider extending the existing deadlines to ensure fair opportunity for compliance.
With less than three months to go before the first major deadline, the FBR must act swiftly and transparently if it wishes to uphold taxpayer confidence and meet its own regulatory standards.