Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin Tuesday hinted at extending the deadline for filing income tax returns in a press confernece held in Islamabad.

He said he would discuss this with the Federal Board of Revenue whose system had been down the past 10 days.

Pakistanis have to fill their tax returns by September 30 or face penalties.

During his press conference, Tarin said the government will give targeted subsidies on essential commodities starting this month in a bid to make things easier for vulnerable communities.

The finance minister said he expected wheat prices to fall thanks to the government’s measures, saying they didn't want the masses to feel the impact of the global hike in prices of goods.

Tarin also talked about the 11% hike in sugar prices locally, but he said it was a vast difference from the 48% rise in the international market.

He said the same was true for crude oil and wheat prices which saw big rise in prices abroad.

He expressed confidence about reaching the 5% growth rate this fiscal year.