Islamabad Capital Territory

Islamabad | ReNews Pakistan
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has proposed a new mechanism for individuals who file their income tax returns after the prescribed or extended deadline, allowing late filers to be included in the Active Taxpayers List (ATL) without paying the Rs 25,000 surcharge, provided they submit an undertaking not to purchase or acquire any property, or obtain any ownership or beneficial interest in property, for the next six months.

Under the proposed FBR rules, individual taxpayers filing their returns after the original or extended deadline will be able to secure inclusion in the ATL without paying the surcharge, subject to fulfilment of specified conditions.

According to the proposed procedure, a late filer will be required to submit Form ATL-U through the FBR’s IRIS portal. Through the form, the taxpayer will formally undertake that, for a period of six months from the date of submission, they will not purchase or acquire any property or obtain any direct or indirect ownership or beneficial interest in property.

The six-month period will not begin from the date on which the income tax return is filed. Instead, it will commence from the date mentioned on the electronic acknowledgement issued by IRIS upon successful submission of Form ATL-U.

Subject to the filing of the undertaking and fulfilment of the prescribed conditions, the taxpayer’s name would be included in the ATL without payment of the Rs 25,000 surcharge.

The FBR has also proposed a monitoring mechanism to ensure compliance with the restriction. Tax authorities will be able to verify whether a taxpayer has acquired any property during the six-month period by using information obtained from property registries, relevant government departments, agencies, financial institutions and other legally available sources.

If available information indicates that a taxpayer has violated the undertaking by purchasing property or acquiring an ownership or beneficial interest during the six-month period, the individual will be given an opportunity to explain their position electronically.

If the violation is established, the concession allowing inclusion in the ATL without payment of the surcharge will be withdrawn from the date of the breach, and the taxpayer’s status will be determined in accordance with the applicable rules governing late filers.

For Tax Year 2026, the deadline for filing income tax returns was extended from September 30 to October 15, 2026. Individuals filing returns after this deadline will fall within the category of late filers and will be required to comply with the relevant legal conditions for inclusion in the ATL.

It is important to note that the six-month restriction will not automatically apply to all late filers. Under the draft rules, an individual who pays the prescribed ATL surcharge will not be required to opt for the six-month property restriction through the undertaking.

The proposed mechanism essentially provides an alternative route for individual late filers who wish to be included in the ATL without paying the Rs 25,000 surcharge.

It is also important to clarify that the amendments relating to Rule 81B issued by the FBR are currently in draft form. The tax authority has invited objections and suggestions from stakeholders before finalising the rules.

Therefore, at this stage, it would be inaccurate to describe the proposal as a blanket six month property restriction already in force for all late tax filers.

Islamabad | ReNews Pakistan
Pakistan is preparing to inaugurate 16 major road infrastructure projects, including upgrades to sections of the Grand Trunk Road, national highways, motorways, interchanges and dual carriageways, as several schemes being implemented by the National Highway Authority (NHA) enter their final stages of completion.
Progress on the projects was reviewed at a high-level meeting on NHA schemes chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the Prime Minister House in Islamabad.
Officials informed the meeting that work on a number of strategically important transport projects was nearing completion and that the schemes were expected to be ready for inauguration in the near future.
Among the major projects approaching completion are the upgrading of the GT Road section from Tee Chowk, Islamabad, to Banth, the remodelling of Islamabad’s Chungi No. 26 Interchange and the extension of Margalla Avenue from GT Road to Motorway M-1.
The portfolio also includes upgrading work on the Pindi Bhattian-Faisalabad section of Motorway M-4, the Quetta Western Bypass, Pindi Gheb-Jand Road and the Bhong Interchange on the Multan-Sukkur Motorway M-5.
Other schemes include construction of the Nokundi-Mashkhel Road, conversion of Old Bannu Road into a dual carriageway and improvement of multiple sections of the Indus Highway, N-55.
The N-55 projects include upgrading of the Sehwan-San and Ratodero-Shikarpur sections as well as development of an additional carriageway on the Pataro-Sindh section.
The meeting was informed that NHA had also strengthened its financial position, with annual revenue increasing from Rs 109 billion to Rs 130 billion during the previous fiscal year.
Revenue is projected to rise further to approximately Rs 160 billion during the current fiscal year, providing the authority with greater capacity to finance infrastructure schemes through its own resources.
Several major projects are being financed from NHA-generated revenue, including the Sialkot-Kharian Motorway M-12, Kharian-Rawalpindi Motorway M-13, Peshawar Northern Bypass and reconstruction of the Jaglot-Skardu Road.
NHA resources are also being utilised for upgrading Motorway M-4 and improvement of the Multan-Lodhran section of National Highway N-5.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed authorities to ensure third-party audits of all ongoing NHA development projects to improve transparency, construction quality and accountability.
He also instructed relevant institutions to formulate a comprehensive strategy for developing national highways, motorways and expressways under public-private partnership arrangements.
The government is looking to increase private-sector participation in transport infrastructure as part of efforts to accelerate project delivery while reducing pressure on public finances.
Officials also briefed the meeting about several projects expected to be launched in the coming period, including the Kharian-Rawalpindi Motorway M-13 and the long-awaited Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway M-6.
Rehabilitation and reconstruction of various stretches of GT Road and National Highway N-5 are also included in the upcoming development programme.
The government is additionally examining the proposed Guru Nanak Expressway, which would provide a direct transport connection between Kartarpur and Nankana Sahib, two major religious destinations associated with Sikh heritage.
Another major proposal under consideration is the Mansehra-Chilas Expressway through Naran. Officials said the project could reduce the road distance between Mansehra and Chilas by around 146 kilometres, significantly improving travel between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Prime Minister Shehbaz said modern and efficient transport connections were critical for economic growth, trade and regional development.
He directed authorities to give priority to improving connectivity between remote parts of the country and major urban and commercial centres.
According to the prime minister, improved highway and motorway infrastructure would not only facilitate passenger and freight movement but would also help stimulate investment, business activity and employment opportunities in less-developed regions.

Islamabad | ReNews Pakistan
The federal government has accelerated plans to establish Pakistan Asaan Khidmat Centres in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), while also exploring the use of existing government buildings and centrally located public properties for expanding the citizen facilitation network across the country.
Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Establishment Division Senator Ahad Cheema chaired a high-level meeting to review progress on the proposed centres in AJK and GB and examine different operational and infrastructure models for extending the initiative to additional cities.
During the meeting, the minister directed the chief secretaries of AJK and GB to immediately initiate the tendering process for establishing the centres in accordance with the prime minister’s instructions.
He assured the two administrations that the federal government would provide the required funding for development of the facilities.
The chief secretaries of AJK and GB, who participated in the meeting virtually, agreed to proceed with the tendering process.
Cheema stressed that implementation should be accelerated so that the projects could move forward without unnecessary delays.
A significant part of the meeting focused on the physical infrastructure and property requirements associated with expanding the Asaan Khidmat Centre network.
Officials discussed the possibility of utilising centrally located post offices and other existing government buildings in major cities for providing Asaan Khidmat services, potentially reducing the need to acquire or construct entirely new facilities.
The minister directed officials to conduct a feasibility assessment of the proposal, examining whether existing state-owned buildings could be adapted or renovated to accommodate multiple public-service departments under one roof.
No final decision, however, was taken regarding the use of these properties.
The government is also considering several operational models for future centres.
Under one proposed hybrid model, the government would provide the building or service facility while a private-sector company would manage day-to-day operations.
A second option involves a fully private model under which the government would issue a licence to a private operator, which would be responsible for arranging the premises as well as managing the centre.
The third model would involve complete government ownership and operation of the facility.
Cheema directed officials to prepare a detailed feasibility study assessing the financial, administrative and operational implications of the proposed models and submit recommendations to the prime minister for consideration.
The meeting also discussed the financial sustainability of the centres, particularly the cost of maintaining premises, utilities and other infrastructure.
The minister called for examining a revenue-sharing mechanism involving departments providing services at the centres, including the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports.
He said departments benefiting from the facilities should contribute towards operational expenses because the government provides the buildings, utilities and supporting infrastructure required for delivery of their services.
Cheema also stressed that any private-sector participation must include a transparent revenue-sharing arrangement and safeguards to prevent operators from imposing additional charges on citizens.
He said the purpose of the initiative was to make government services more accessible and convenient and that the cost of operating the centres should not result in an additional financial burden on the public.
The minister expressed satisfaction with the performance and public response to the Pakistan Asaan Khidmat Centre operating in Islamabad’s G-9 area and directed authorities to further improve its facilities and service delivery.
The expansion of the programme is expected to increase demand for suitable government premises, renovation works, service infrastructure and purpose-built public facilitation spaces as the model is extended to AJK, GB and other urban centres.
Pakistan Asaan Khidmat Centre operates as a one-stop citizen facilitation facility, bringing more than 60 government services under one roof.
Services available through the centres include passport-related facilities, NADRA services, domicile certificates and registration of births and deaths, among other public services.
Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Secretary Inter-Provincial Coordination Mohyuddin Wani, Secretary Communications Ali Sher Masood, representatives of the Ministry of Finance, chief secretaries of AJK and GB, officials of the Prime Minister’s Office and other senior government officials attended the meeting.
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