With the income tax filing deadline now over, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) faces an uphill task in meeting its collection targets as nearly one million taxpayers have declared zero income in their returns, official sources revealed on Tuesday.

According to FBR data, a total of 5.5 million income tax returns have been received so far, of which about 33 per cent show either zero or nominal income.

Some exporters have even reported losses, prompting the tax authority to initiate a comprehensive audit plan aimed at detecting possible tax evasion.

Sources said that after the October 31 filing deadline, the FBR will begin issuing notices to taxpayers who underreported or misreported their income, directing them to revise their returns. Legal action will follow if discrepancies remain unresolved.

The FBR has also decided to send automated notices to those who have declared lower income compared to last year, using its database of financial transactions and assets to verify inconsistencies.

To execute the plan effectively, the revenue authority has engaged around 2,000 auditors to conduct targeted audits for the current fiscal year.

Officials said the FBR’s digital system already holds complete data of taxpayers’ bank transactions, business records, and property details, enabling precise scrutiny of suspected cases.