B Mirror Report: The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has witnessed a significant surge in response from taxpayers seeking deadline extensions for filing income tax returns for the 2025–2026 fiscal year through its online platform.

According to the revenue authority, online submission of income tax returns has been made compulsory for individual taxpayers this year, with only a limited number of exceptions. This move appears to have driven widespread adoption of the digital system.

Officials stated that over 5 million individual taxpayers have already enrolled in the NBR’s e-return system, while more than 4.15 million have successfully submitted their tax returns online during the current tax cycle.

The original deadline for filing returns has been extended to March 31, 2026. However, taxpayers who submit a formal request before this date may be granted an additional period of up to 90 days by the respective tax commissioner.

To streamline the extension process, the NBR has launched a fully digital mechanism that allows taxpayers to apply for extra time quickly and transparently. Through the “Time Extension” option in the e-return portal, applicants can submit their requests without physical paperwork.

In recent days, over 5,000 taxpayers have used the online system to request extensions, with most applications being approved promptly through digital processing by tax officials.

Once an extension is approved, taxpayers can file their returns within the extended timeframe without incurring penalties or extra tax liabilities.

Authorities have advised taxpayers who have yet to submit their returns to apply for an extension before the March 31 deadline to avoid fines. Those not yet registered in the e-return system must first complete registration using their biometric SIM credentials.

For taxpayers exempt from mandatory online filing, applications for extension can still be submitted either digitally or through written requests to the relevant tax offices.

The NBR has urged all eligible individuals to complete their tax filings via the e-return system within the stipulated deadline. However, those unable to do so may still benefit from the extension facility by providing valid reasons in their application before the cutoff date.