The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) issued S.R.O. 1495(I)/2026 on September 2, 2026, adding four new parts to the Second Schedule of the Income Tax Rules, 2002. The notification inserts Parts II-ZE, II-ZF, II-ZG, and II-ZH after the existing Part-II-ZD, and these parts together contain the prescribed form for the Income Tax Return for Tax Year 2026: Electronic Return for Individuals.

What the SRO does

The notification was issued under subsection (1) of section 237 of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001. It follows a prior draft published via S.R.O. 835(I)/2026 in May 2026, as required by subsection (3) of the same section. The four new parts replace or supersede the earlier version of the return form for individual taxpayers for the tax year covering July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.

The PDF attached to the SRO shows the form is titled “Income Tax Return for Tax Year 2026: Electronic Return for Individuals” and includes a “Summary of Economic Transactions” section alongside the usual income, deduction, and wealth declaration fields.

Timing draws criticism from tax professionals

Multiple news outlets reported on September 4, 2026, that tax practitioners have objected to the timing of the change. The statutory deadline for filing income tax returns for Tax Year 2026 is September 30, 2026: fewer than four weeks after the notification.

A tax expert quoted by Business Recorder described the last-minute amendment as “entirely confusing and unjustified” and warned it would create “serious legal and technical difficulties for taxpayers and tax practitioners.” Similar concerns were reported by Profit by Pakistan Today, TechJuice, and Tax Help Lines, each noting that without immediate clarification from the FBR, taxpayers may struggle to submit returns on time.

What taxpayers and practitioners should do

  • Review the full text of S.R.O. 1495(I)/2026 on the FBR website to identify any changes in the return form compared with the version previously in effect.
  • Compare the new Parts II-ZE through II-ZH against the earlier Schedule entries to determine which fields, schedules, or declarations have been added or modified.
  • Update any tax preparation software or manual worksheets to reflect the newly prescribed form before attempting to file.
  • Monitor the FBR’s website and official communications for any clarification, frequently-asked-questions document, or extension announcement that may address the concerns raised by professionals.
  • If the electronic filing system does not yet accept the revised form, contact the FBR’s taxpayer support channels before the September 30 deadline.

What remains unclear

The FBR has not published a separate explanatory memorandum or comparison table showing exactly how the four new parts differ from the previous version of the Second Schedule. Tax professionals have called for such guidance, but as of September 7, 2026, no official clarification has been issued. It is also not known whether the FBR will extend the September 30 deadline in light of the late change.