Lahore, October 30, 2023 – The Lahore Tax Bar Association (LTBA) has formally called for a one-month extension in the return filing deadline and voiced concerns over issues plaguing the online portal for income tax return filing.
In a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), the LTBA requested an extension of the last date for filing income tax returns until November 30, 2023.
The annual return filing deadline for tax year 2023 is set to expire on October 31, 2023, having already been extended from the original deadline of September 30, 2023, in response to stakeholder requests.
The LTBA expressed strong dissatisfaction with the glitches in the online portal, specifically IRIS 2.0. The association stated, “By introducing IRIS 2.0, the FBR has failed to provide an error-free software to facilitate taxpayers in filing income tax returns for 2023 smoothly and in accordance with the statutory provisions of the law.”
It is worth noting that the Pakistan Tax Bar Association (PTBA), the country’s apex tax bar, had previously brought to light a plethora of issues through a letter dated September 27, 2023. In response to this letter, a meeting was convened between the FBR and tax bars from across the country to address the issues concerning the filing of annual returns.
The LTBA acknowledged that the FBR had taken measures to resolve most of the issues, following their discussions. Furthermore, a video link conference was held on October 24, 2023, involving the office bearers of PTBA and other tax bars, along with the Member IT of the FBR. During this meeting, legal and practical issues related to return filing were discussed, some of which remained unresolved. The Member IT assured attendees that these pending matters would be addressed on a priority basis.
However, the technical and practical issues surrounding income tax return filing for tax year 2023 have persisted. As a result, tax consultants and taxpayers have struggled to file their returns smoothly. A significant number of returns remain outstanding, and the impending deadline for filing is October 31, 2023.
The LTBA argued that the spirit of the statutory time period for filing returns, which provides a 90-day window, has been defeated by the persistent issues with the FBR’s IRIS Portal. The association emphasized that taxpayers have a legitimate right to a full 90 days to file their income tax returns from the date when an error-free return filing platform is provided on the FBR’s IRIS Portal.
The call for a one-month extension is intended to grant taxpayers the necessary time to file their returns accurately and in compliance with legal requirements, fostering a smoother and more efficient tax filing process for all stakeholders.
