ISLAMABAD: The Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) has directed a formal investigation against the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) over its alleged failure to process online applications for extension in filing income tax returns for the tax year 2025.
The directive was issued in response to a public interest complaint filed by renowned tax lawyer Mr. Waheed Shahzad Butt, who highlighted that numerous taxpayers submitted extension requests through FBR’s IRIS portal, but the applications remained unattended as the deadline approached.
The FTO has summoned key FBR officials, including the Member Operations, Member IR-Policy, and Director General (Information Technology), to appear on November 19, 2025, and explain the alleged administrative lapse.
Mr. Butt expressed concern over the FBR’s silence, stating that the pending applications are still stuck in the Outbox of the IRIS system (https://iris.fbr.gov.pk/login), which reflects poorly on the FBR’s service delivery and violates taxpayer rights.
The FTO noted that this instance highlights longstanding inefficiencies in tax administration, particularly those that discourage compliance and erode public trust. The ongoing probe aims to hold responsible officials accountable and ensure better responsiveness in taxpayer facilitation going forward.
