The Acting President of the Hyderabad Chamber of Small Traders & Small Industry (HCSTSI), Mr. Ahmed Idrees Chohan, has urged the Federal Minister for Finance & Revenue and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to grant an additional one-month extension in the deadline for filing income tax returns in view of the persistent technical problems and difficulties faced by small traders, salaried individuals, freelancers, and micro-enterprises across the country.
Mr. Chohan appreciated the Federal Government and the Finance Minister, Mr. Muhammad Aurangzeb, for the earlier 15-day extension, describing it as a positive and timely decision that was widely welcomed by the business community. However, he expressed concern that serious technical and operational glitches in FBR’s IRIS E-filing portal continue to hinder taxpayers from completing their returns, despite the extension.
He highlighted that according to widespread reports, the IRIS system frequently encounters system errors, login failures, and recurring messages such as “Receipt Value Missing” and “Invalid Verification.” He added that the portal often becomes completely unresponsive during peak filing hours, forcing accountants and tax practitioners to restart their submissions multiple times. “Under these conditions, the 15-day extension has proved insufficient,” he emphasized.
Mr. Chohan further noted that the ongoing heavy rainfall and flood situation in several districts of Sindh, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has severely disrupted business activities. Continuous interruptions in electricity, internet, and banking services have made it difficult for traders to access financial data or coordinate with their accountants and auditors. Many small businesses have also reported data loss and audit delays due to these disruptions.
He stated that in the current circumstances, granting a further one-month extension in the filing deadline would not only be in line with principles of fairness and transparency but would also help strengthen taxpayers’ confidence and encourage voluntary tax compliance, a key objective of the government’s fiscal policy.
The Acting President reaffirmed that the Hyderabad Chamber of Small Traders & Small Industry remains fully committed to supporting the FBR in its efforts to facilitate taxpayers. The Chamber continues to provide awareness and guidance to its members, enabling more taxpayers to file their returns accurately and on time.
Mr. Chohan appealed to the Government of Pakistan and the Federal Board of Revenue to issue an official notification for an additional one-month extension to ensure ease and convenience for taxpayers, especially small traders who are striving to fulfill their national obligations and contribute their fair share to the national exchequer.
