Karachi: The President of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Iftikhar Ahmed Sheikh, has formally requested the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to postpone the deadline for filing income tax returns. Citing significant engagement with electoral activities and technical issues with the FBR’s online system, Sheikh proposed extending the deadline from September 30 to October 31, 2024, to accommodate taxpayers.

According to Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, “President Sheikh emphasized that the business community’s involvement in September’s election activities for various chambers and trade bodies nationwide left inadequate time for completing the necessary documentation for income tax submissions.” Furthermore, Sheikh reported complaints from several KCCI members about disruptions to the FBR’s IRIS portal, which became inoperative and slow as the filing deadline approached, complicating the submission process.

Sheikh also critiqued the current state of the tax-filing infrastructure, highlighting the annual recurrence of these technical issues as a serious concern that undermines taxpayer compliance. He urged the FBR to enhance the functionality and capacity of the IRIS system to simplify the filing process and reduce the need for tax consultants, thereby making it more feasible for individuals and businesses to comply on their own.