The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has so far received 5.5 million income tax returns for the current fiscal year, out of which around 33% show zero or nominal income, according to FBR officials.
Officials describe as an alarming trend, nearly 1 million taxpayers have reported lower incomes compared to the previous year, triggering serious concerns over potential tax evasion.
A senior FBR official told media that 977,000 returns have been flagged for showing reduced earnings. “Some exporters have even declared losses in their returns,” the official noted, adding that the authority is preparing a comprehensive audit plan to track under-declared incomes.
The FBR has stated that notices will be issued after the October 31, 2025 filing deadline, asking such taxpayers to revise their declarations or face legal action.
According to the data, over 1.7 million returns reflect zero or minimal income. However, authorities insist that these filings still provide crucial information to help expand the tax base and identify taxable assets and transactions.
To ensure compliance, the board has already sent reminder messages to millions of filers and has arranged 2,000 auditors to conduct large-scale scrutiny during the ongoing fiscal year.
FBR Chairman Rashid Mahmood Langrial confirmed that 853,000 taxpayers were informed that the revenue system holds detailed financial data on their transactions.
“We have provided estimated income figures in those messages and advised taxpayers to file their returns carefully,” he said.
Officials reiterated that the objective of the campaign is to curb tax evasion and improve revenue collection in line with the national economic requirements.
