Income tax returns filing deadline ends today; FBR warns of heavy fines

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Over 4.87m returns filed for tax year 2026 as FBR signals end of late-filer category

Today, September 30 is the final day for filing income tax returns for tax year 2026, with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) warning taxpayers that those who miss the deadline could face substantially higher penalties.

The FBR has also announced that the “late filer” category will be abolished from October 1, while taxpayers have been urged to submit complete and accurate returns without waiting until the final hours.

According to FBR documents, 4,876,384 income tax returns have been filed so far for tax year 2026, marking an increase of more than 1.36 million returns compared with the previous year.

A total of 3,516,265 returns were filed during the previous year, showing a significant rise in compliance this year.

The documents show that Rs19.2172 billion in tax has been collected through the returns filed for the current tax year. Last year, tax collection stood at more than Rs19.7811 billion.

The salaried class has filed more than 1.623 million returns, contributing approximately Rs2.8217 billion in tax during the current tax year.

Non-salaried taxpayers filed more than 3.206 million returns, generating Rs13.43 billion in tax revenue.

Meanwhile, Associations of Persons (AOPs) contributed Rs1.41 billion, while companies paid around Rs1.54 billion in tax.

Under the Small Shopkeepers Scheme, 644 returns have been filed, resulting in the collection of more than Rs48.2 million.

FBR officials have signalled a substantial increase in penalties for taxpayers who fail to file their returns by the September 30 deadline.

According to sources, the penalty for individuals filing late is expected to rise from Rs1,000 to Rs25,000.

For an Association of Persons, the proposed penalty would increase from Rs10,000 to Rs50,000, while a proposal is also under consideration to raise the penalty for companies from Rs20,000 to Rs100,000.

The changes are linked to the planned abolition of the late-filer category from October 1.

The FBR spokesperson has reiterated that September 30 is the deadline for filing income tax returns and urged taxpayers to submit their returns on time rather than waiting until the final day.

The tax authority has also stressed that all information included in tax returns must be accurate and complete, with relevant documentary evidence provided alongside the return where required.

The spokesperson warned that action could be taken against taxpayers who conceal information about assets or provide incorrect details.

The FBR said artificial intelligence will be utilised in cases involving suspected tax evasion or incorrect information provided in tax returns.

The authority has also indicated that bank accounts and other available means may be used to recover outstanding tax dues from taxpayers who fail to meet their obligations.

With the filing deadline ending today, the FBR has once again advised taxpayers to submit their returns promptly and avoid waiting until the deadline expires.

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