The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has reported a record increase in income tax return filings for Tax Year 2025, followed by a technical adjustment in the Active Taxpayers List (ATL) after the exclusion of those who failed to file their Tax Year 2024 returns within the due or extended deadlines.
As of October 31, 2025, the total number of registered taxpayers on the ATL stood at 8,634,785, reflecting unprecedented engagement and voluntary compliance. However, following the annual ATL update on November 1, the number decreased to 6,235,802, as FBR’s system automatically removed individuals who did not fulfill their filing obligations for the previous tax year.
Despite this adjustment, the Tax Year 2025 filing data shows historic growth in return submissions and tax payments, signaling stronger compliance trends and improved public confidence in the national tax system.
According to official data, 5.9 million income tax returns were filed by October 31, 2025, compared to 5 million during the same period last year—showing a 17.6 percent increase. Out of these, 3.6 million taxpayers filed returns with tax payments, an 18.6 percent rise over 2024. The total tax paid by individuals also increased by PKR 9 billion, from PKR 60 billion last year to PKR 69 billion this year, representing a 15 percent growth in individual tax contributions.
Behavioral Campaign Drives Compliance Surge
The FBR credited the record filings to a nationwide outreach and behavioral campaign jointly executed by the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Information, and the FBR. The campaign aimed to promote tax awareness, civic responsibility, and timely compliance through modern communication channels.
Under this campaign, millions of citizens received robocalls and WhatsApp reminders urging them to file their returns before the deadline. Additionally, the FBR issued nearly 800,000 behaviorally informed messages, beginning with congratulatory notes, followed by informational updates about taxpayers’ rights and responsibilities, and finally, cautionary reminders.
The FBR also adopted a data-driven peer comparison approach, sending personalized emails to about 70,000 taxpayers that highlighted the average income levels of comparable professionals or businesses. This initiative, according to officials, encouraged more accurate income declarations and timely filings.
Digital Confidence and Facilitation
The increased compliance also underscores the growing public confidence in FBR’s digital filing system, IRIS. Despite facing intermittent slowdowns during peak hours, the system managed to handle millions of filings in the final days before the deadline.
An FBR spokesperson said the organization is committed to simplifying the filing process and enhancing user experience. “We deeply appreciate citizens’ growing cooperation and their trust in the digital filing system,” the spokesperson stated. “Our goal remains to make Pakistan’s tax system more fair, transparent, and inclusive.”
No Blanket Extension, Only Individual Relief
Following the Prime Minister’s directive, FBR did not grant any blanket extension in the filing deadline this year. However, taxpayers who faced genuine hardships—such as technical issues, medical emergencies, or unavoidable delays—were allowed to seek individual extensions through the IRIS portal.
Strengthening Tax Culture
Experts view the developments as a turning point in Pakistan’s tax culture, reflecting increased coordination across government institutions and a noticeable shift toward voluntary compliance. The rise in return filings and the tightening of ATL eligibility criteria are expected to strengthen the country’s tax base and improve the tax-to-GDP ratio.
While challenges such as system capacity and outreach in remote areas persist, the FBR’s achievement in recording nearly six million voluntary return filings marks significant progress toward building a more compliant and responsible taxpayer base.
Moving forward, the FBR plans to enhance its digital infrastructure, introduce simplified return forms, and launch personalized taxpayer support programs to sustain this momentum and further broaden the tax net.
