The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has changed the passwords of income tax filers, causing significant difficulties for taxpayers attempting to access the system and submit their returns.
According to media reports, the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has expressed serious concern over the FBR’s sudden password changes and technical issues with the IRIS portal during the final days of the income tax return filing period. KCCI President Muhammad Rehan Hanif has urged the FBR to immediately restore the previous passwords and extend the September 30 filing deadline by at least one month.
He said the FBR’s decision to change passwords for all income tax filers had created significant problems for taxpayers trying to access the portal and file their returns during the crucial final days of the filing period.
According to Rehan Hanif, at least 30% of taxpayers who are abroad or travelling are facing difficulties obtaining their new passwords. Overseas Pakistanis, in particular, have reportedly been unable to access the IRIS portal because they have not received the SMS containing their new passwords.
He also said the IRIS portal was repeatedly crashing due to the heavy traffic and system overload during the final days of the filing period.
Rehan Hanif called on the FBR to immediately restore the previous passwords and ensure that taxpayers can submit their returns without further technical disruptions. He also reiterated his demand for a one-month extension of the filing deadline to provide relief to taxpayers facing difficulties accessing the portal.