ISLAMABAD — The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has announced a temporary nationwide shutdown of its entire digital infrastructure from August 8 (12:30 AM) to August 10 (5:00 PM) for essential scheduled maintenance. During this two-day technical window, the IRIS portal will be completely inaccessible to taxpayers. Furthermore, critical operational services—including the Sales Tax Withholding and Electronic Evading Prevention System (SWEEPS), Point of Sale (POS) registration services, digital invoicing, and electronic payment processing—will remain entirely offline. The revenue authority has strongly advised all taxpayers and businesses to complete their time-sensitive tax returns, registrations, and monetary transactions before the scheduled outage to prevent operational disruptions.
In parallel updates, the FBR finalized the draft procedures for its recently announced relief package aimed at small shopkeepers, introducing a simplified tax mechanism that explicitly bars Inland Revenue officers from raiding or entering registered businesses that display an official “Green Plate.” The voluntary scheme is designed for traders with an annual turnover of up to Rs200 million, charging a flat 1 percent tax on total annual turnover subject to a minimum tax payment of Rs25,000. Eligible shopkeepers can easily file returns via a simplified form on the IRIS portal or mobile app available in Urdu and regional languages. The issued Green Plates will feature a QR code, National Tax Number (NTN), shopkeeper’s name, and business address. However, the FBR clarified that tier-1 retailers, jewelers, multiple-shop owners, and professionals like doctors, lawyers, and engineers are strictly excluded from this scheme.
