Besides extending the date, the FBR has also withdrawn some important clauses from the income tax return forms apparently to please businessmen who do not want to disclose sources of their income.—File Photo

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue again extended the last date for payment of income tax along with returns and statements by the salaried class, individuals and associations till Nov 21.

And besides extending the date, the FBR has also withdrawn some important clauses from the income tax return forms apparently to please businessmen who do not want to disclose sources of their income.

A senior taxation official told Dawn that the changes were made in the returns form because of intense pressures from the chambers and small traders who did not want to come under the tax net.

This is evident from the fact that the FBR has so far received only 66,000 returns e-filed by taxpayers.

Besides the returns, 496,000 salary statements were submitted by employers on behalf of their employees.

As a result, 562,000 taxpayers have so far e-filed their returns with the tax department despite having been given three extensions for filing returns this year.

Last year, 1.965 million taxpayers had filed the returns till Dec 31 as against 2.984 million registered with the tax machinery in a country of over 170 million people.

The last date for payment of income tax was October 31, which had earlier been extended three times.

Last time, the date was extended on condition that taxpayers will deposit their due taxes by October 31 and the date for filing tax returns would be extended till November 21.

An income tax circular of the FBR said the changes had been made because of a demand made by the FPCCI, chambers of commerce, trade bodies and tax bars.

It said the date of filing returns had been extended till Nov 21 and in view of the fact that Eidul Azha was approaching and many taxpayers were out of the country for performing Haj, the date of tax payment might also be extended till Nov 21.

The tax official said the FBR had received Rs123.77 billion in October with the target for the month projected at Rs132 billion, leaving a shortfall of Rs9 billion.