The Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Tuesday requested Prime Minister Imran Khan to direct the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to extend the date of filing income tax returns till January 30, 2021.
The president of the chamber, in a letter, informed PM Imran that there were “mistakes” in the forms issued by the tax authority. He also added that they have informed the FBR chairman of the mistakes in a letter on November 23.
The KCCI also stated that the tax experts' routine has been affected by the second wave of the coronavirus causing them difficulties in filing their returns. He also added that concessions should be given as these are difficult times.
No more extension
The letter to PM Imran comes a day after the FBR said that it will not be granting any more extensions to file income tax returns even after receiving less than 1.5 million returns.
However, the FBR has allowed chief commissioners to allow returns if someone seeks to file them after December 8, 2020.
“The FBR has received around 1.5 million tax returns so far,” a top official of the FBR confirmed to The News on Monday.
Last fiscal year, 2.9 million returns were filed. The government reportedly believes that the number of returns filed is significantly lower this time because of the difficulty of filing taxes during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
FBR’s Monday announcement was clear that no extension will be given to file annual income tax returns after the last date, which is today (December 8).
One request for extension addressed to the chief commissioner of inland revenue concerned could cover multiple taxpayers provided it contains taxpayers’ names, their CNIC/NTN and identification of jurisdiction.
FBR clarified that the option to file online requests will remain available. All chief commissioners have been directed to grant extensions generously and submit a report on total extension requests received and granted by the chief commissioner to the FBR Headquarters by December 10, 2020.
Clarifying its earlier circular issued on December 4 and after requests received from the Pakistan Tax Bar, various chambers of commerce and industry, trade bodies and sections of the media to extend the last date to file income tax returns, the FBR has facilitated the taxpayers by issuing directions to all inland revenue field formations to establish Help Desks to receive manual requests for extension in filing tax returns.
