Daily Times

In a proactive move to support taxpayers and facilitate the annual tax return filing process, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has issued a directive to its tax offices across the country, instructing them to extend their working hours on September 30, 2023.

September 30 serves as the final deadline for individuals, including salaried employees, business owners, Associations of Persons (AOPs), and companies with special fiscal years to file their annual tax returns for the tax year 2023.

The FBR, in an official communication, has mandated that all tax offices, including Large Taxpayer Offices (LTOs), Medium Tax Office (MTO), Corporate Tax Offices (CTOs), and Regional Tax Offices (RTOs), remain open and operational until 8:00 PM on Saturday, September 30, 2023. This extended working hours initiative aims to provide taxpayers with ample time and accessibility for the payment of duties and taxes and the submission of their returns.

Additionally, Chief Commissioners Inland Revenue have been instructed to establish effective liaisons with the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and authorized branches of the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP). This collaboration is intended to ensure the seamless transfer of tax collections by bank branches to the corresponding SBP branches on the same day. This effort will help account for the tax collections within the month of September 2023.

The FBR has further advised Chief Commissioners Inland Revenue to allocate the extension of working hours exclusively to officers and officials directly involved in tasks related to taxpayers’ facilitation, return filing, and the collection and recovery of taxes. This targeted approach ensures that resources are optimally utilized to serve taxpayers efficiently during this crucial period. This proactive step by the FBR reflects its commitment to simplifying the tax compliance process for individuals and businesses, thereby fostering greater tax compliance and contributing to the overall revenue collection efforts of the government. Taxpayers are encouraged to take advantage of the extended working hours to meet their tax obligations and submit their annual returns on time.