ISLAMABAD (Staff Reporter)
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) announced on Friday that the filing of income tax returns for the 2025 tax year has witnessed a significant increase, marking a major milestone in voluntary compliance and public awareness.
According to FBR’s statement, a total of 5.9 million tax returns were filed by October 31, 2025, compared to 5 million returns filed during the same period last year — an increase of 17.6 percent. Of these, 3.6 million taxpayers submitted their returns along with tax payments, reflecting an 18.6 percent rise compared to the previous year.
Furthermore, individual taxpayers contributed approximately Rs 9 billion more in taxes this year — rising from Rs 60 billion to Rs 69 billion, a 15 percent increase.
An FBR spokesperson lauded the growing cooperation of citizens and reaffirmed the board’s commitment to facilitating honest taxpayers. He said that FBR remains focused on making the tax system fairer, more transparent, and inclusive through simplified procedures, modern digital services, and timely communication.
These impressive results, the spokesperson added, are the outcome of FBR’s effective awareness campaign and the government’s coordinated efforts led by the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Information, aimed at promoting tax culture and simplifying online return filing.
Under this campaign, automated calls and WhatsApp messages were sent nationwide to remind citizens of their national responsibility to file tax returns. Based on third-party data, FBR also issued phased awareness messages to taxpayers — starting with appreciation, followed by informative, and then cautionary notifications. Around 800,000 messages were sent across the country, along with 70,000 targeted emails containing comparative income estimates to help taxpayers file accurate and timely returns.
According to FBR, taxpayers responded positively to these joint efforts.
The figures reflect data compiled as of 7 p.m. on October 31, while the board expects the number of filings to rise further before the midnight deadline.
The spokesperson clarified that, in line with the Prime Minister’s directions, no general extension in the filing deadline has been granted. However, taxpayers facing genuine difficulties can request an extension through FBR’s IRIS online system by contacting their respective field formations.