ISLAMABAD, Oct 15: The Central Board of Revenue (CBR) has extended the date for filing of income tax returns for the year 2005 up to October 31 to facilitate taxpayers. CBR spokesman Habib Fakhruddin said on Saturday that the decision had been taken after noting that a large number of taxpayers were preoccupied with relief work to alleviate the suffering of people hit by the earthquake.

He said no penal action would be taken against taxpayers who have not yet filed their returns if they do so by the end of this month.

The CBR received around 1.106 million income tax returns up to Sept 30 as against 968,051 returns filed during the same period of last year, indicating an increase of 14 per cent.

Among them, 599,903 were non-salaried taxpayers and 506,445 salaried ones. During the corresponding period of last year, 523,498 returns had been filed by non-salaried taxpayers and 444,553 by salaried taxpayers.

The spokesman said that the number of returns, certificates and statements from the salaried class was expected to rise substantially once complete data from employers’ statements was compiled.

Despite the fact that a substantial increase in the number of returns filed had been recorded, many more taxpayers were not able to file returns by the closing date and sought extension in the deadline, he said.