Senate Committee Wants Removal of Taxes on Bringing Phones to Pakistan

A parliamentary panel, on Wednesday, recommended to revisit the mobile taxation as well as withdrawing the one mobile handset per year policy to facilitate passengers.

The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications met with Rubina Khalid in the chair on Wednesday. A detailed briefing was given regarding streamlining the process for the collection of taxes on cell phones at all airports and extension of time period to block unregistered IMEI cell phones.

The committee strongly opposed the imposition of taxes on bringing more than one mobile phone to Pakistan and recommended that this policy be revisited in consultation with the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication.

Senator Mian Muhammad Ateeq Shaikh said that this policy had numerous flaws and for public clarity, every aspect of it must be evaluated separately.

Chief Customs informed the committee that 34,000 mobile phones have registered through the DIRBS system so far, where Rs 1.5 million was collected in taxes on 116 mobile handsets. As per the policy, one mobile phone is allowed duty-free on each trip to Pakistan but one has to pay taxes for more handsets.

The committee observed that the figures are not very encouraging and there is need to revisit this policy. The committee further recommended that the condition of one mobile per year for passengers may be withdrawn.


  • Strong Dollar ke wajha say prices to pehly he buhat ziada hein Pakistan mein , agr koi out of country say mangwa raha ha to itna tax nhi hona chahiy
    Wesy b mobile pay tax laga leny say itna ziada tax collect b nhi hota k country ke koi need puri ke ja saky us say

  • These politicians are the main culprits. These pigs are the beneficiaries of smuggled phones. That’s why these morons want to reverse the new policy.

  • nothing happened in islamabad airport when I arrived. No one asked regarding mobiles, no tax to pay. Was there for 2 weeks, used zong sim, worked fine. Came back to UK.

  • Glad to read the sponsored article from Mr. Amin Yousufzai for a realistic policy to the relief for the process of the President’s initiative of 4th Industrial Revolution which broadly highlights 5G, related technologies of 5G, AI, Robotics, in Pakistan. The Honorable Minister has considered the plight of common men for their drive towards the 4th Industrial Revolution for the 5G Industrial Revolution.
    Mobile handsets today are made in remote countries as Vietnam, India is a new emerging country manufacturing handsets for Samsung of Korea as the labor cost in Korea is very high hence the outsourced facilitation benefits Samsung via India. Besides Appile iPhone 6 is also made in India and sold in India, and exported to many countries. Pakistan with the assistance of PASHA Madam Jahan Ara can manufacture/assemble handsets locally and be sold without any Federal taxes to the domestic market to the Digital Divide of Pakistan. Its a continually changing rapidly updating technology, and has to be replaced every year because of OS upgrade, Trojans, Viruses bugs are killers. Pakistan should give a waiver of all Federal Taxes, Customs, VAT, Sales Taxes, VAT, etc.. Free on all mobiles to nurture Seniors ability with their normal lives.


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