Income tax: LCCI asks govt to extend return filing date

Political uncertainty, difficult online system make it impossible to file returns

LAHORE: The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has urged Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) chairman to extend the date for filing income tax returns till December 31, 2016.

Owing to political uncertainty, protests, long Eid holidays, the difficult FBR online system and trade bodies elections in September, it was impossible for the business community to file income tax returns by the end of this month, said LCCI President Sheikh Muhammad Arshad, Senior Vice President Almas Hyder and Vice President Nasir Saeed in a statement on Monday.

The LCCI office-bearers said the extension in the date for filing tax returns would not only be a great favour to the business community but it would also be in the interest of government. Elaborating the point, they said an extension in the deadline would help the government to achieve its revenue target besides building private sector’s trust in the government.

They said it would not only facilitate the business community but would also send a very positive signal about liaison between the private and public sectors.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 20^th, 2016.

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