Sept 30 Deadline
No extension on offer for taxpayers
National Board of Revenue Chairman Nasiruddin Ahmed yesterday insisted that the September 30 deadline for filing income tax returns would not be extended, despite appeals from different business bodies to widen it.
“This time a clear message has been sent out that there will be no extension. The finance minister also declared it,” the NBR chief told a press conference at his office.
Responding to repeated queries from the journalists Nasiruddin said according to law, the income tax returns must be submitted by September 30.
Admitting the fact that every year the deadline is extended in defiance of law, he emphasised developing a culture of paying tax in time.
“The businessmen have demanded for extension but we have already announced earlier that it would not be done,” he added.
Asked about the poor submission of income tax returns so far this year, NBR member Basir Uddin Ahmed said 70 percent returns are usually filed during the last week of the deadline.
NBR made such declarations over the years only to extend the timeframe on the last day of the deadline. Last year the time limit was deferred to November 12.
Different chamber bodies have already appealed for extension of deadline by at least one month, as many taxpayers could not prepare the return on time due to the Ramadan and Eid-ul-Fitr.
