PTA Asks FBR Not to Tax Phones Which Were Imported Before 1st July 2019

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is reportedly collecting duties/taxes on mobile phones which were imported by international travelers under the Baggage Rules (one duty-free mobile per passenger).

Official sources have revealed that Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has taken up the matter with FBR while pleading that mobile phones imported before July 1, 2019 may be treated as per the Baggage rules.

All devices that are connected after 15th January 2019 are required to be registered within 60 days from when first seen on any mobile network. According to the official data, a total of 10,273,531 devices were blocked on a rolling basis upon lapse of 60 day warning period. Prior to blocking, SMS are sent to the consumers informing them that the device is being blocked due to non-registration.

Sources in PTA have revealed that customs officials are collecting taxes on mobile phones which were imported before July 1, 2019 and are covered under the Baggage rules. Ideally, only mobile phones imported after July 1, should be taxed, sources added.

PTA has raised the issue with FBR and asked the latter not to collect taxes on mobile phones imported before July 1, 2019.

A total of 1,195,562 IMEI have been unblocked under DIRBS so far. Sources further said that that there are complaints that despite payment of taxes, mobile phones devices were not unblocked.

DIRBS is integrated with FBR and all customs duties are handled by FBR’s Weboc Server. Upon transmission of payments made from FBR, devices are unblocked and sent for white-listing.

DIRBS, within its assigned mandate, is required to ensure device IMEI is of standard formation, not cloned or reported stolen. Any misuse is in violation of FBR rules; and PTA, apart from reporting all misuse cases to FBR/FIA, has included a two step authentication processes within the system.


  • That That were That…
    Are you sleeping ? During writing That Article?
    Amin Yousafzai

  • This has happened to me. My aunt brought a phone on 20th June but we have been slapped with a tax. Hopefully, This is removed as it is unjust given their own rules.

    • Ab ap pata krwao k ab apko tex pay krna parh raha hai ya nai is news k bad or ager han to kitna pay krna hoga

  • I got a cell phone from US
    PTA blocked it without any intimation text ,asking 30,000 rupees tax in case to unblock it
    I’m unable to get it registred on my passport on which i traveled to US due to untold reasons
    Is there any way to check which cell phone is registred on my passport ?

    • FBR say contact krein.
      Agr phir b registered na ho saky to paryshan nhi hona , dubai aany jany waly ko dy dein wahan sale kr k apko pesy bhej dy aor ap yahan registred smartphone purchase kr lein , aor cell phone ke bajay ab smartphone word use kia krein, thorri der intizar kr lein tax reduce kr dein gy thorry dino tak , aor passport pay registred krwany ke zarorat he nhi wahan konsa ap free registed krwa sakti ho ab wo offer khatam ho gai ha ab is liy passport ko bhool jaein ab.

    • Passport pay free registration ke offer khatam ho gai ha , ap apna smartphone ab tax pay kr k registred krwa sakti hein , ya kuch din wait kr lein tax reduce ho jay ga phir registred krwa lein

    • olx per bech do ya foreign country mein use karo ya phir kisi aisay bande ko de do jo bahar he ho aur pak na aye …….simple is that

  • There should be 0 tax on mobile phone’s it have became necessity not luxury.

    Everyone deserves to have good phone not only filthy rich politicians who we see holding expensive phones daily on tv.

  • What the f..k it’s we have to pay on each Mobile it’s not fair mate… sab sa bari galti ki thi PTI ko vote da kr… jo gareeb Dubai Saudi Arabia sa 50k monthly pay la kr mobile la kr ay osa yaha akr 30k tax b dana ha. ??

    • mat lao mobile …… waheen per thikanay laga do aur pak aaker naya khareed lo ……. in kanjaron ka pait bharne se to acha hai ……
      and one thing more, jab tax revenue kam hojayega then mobile prices will get increased ……… india aur pak mein currency diff double se zayada hai per mob phir bhi sasta hai ………

  • Are u sure..
    K tax reduce kr diya jay ga
    Mera cell 1.5 month se block kr diya Gaya h Kia main wait kr lun kuch Din

  • Aoa main nay abhi IPhone XS Max 512gb lia hy nigeria main to Kia muj tax dyna pry ga main nay September main jana hy 30 holidays per

  • bhai mera moto z2 force block hogaya he open hone k koi chances hn ya nhe?

  • What if someone brings two cell phones(not brand new). I mean some people use two cell phones at a time na?

  • دنیا نیوز کے مطابق فیڈرل بورڈ آف ریونیو (ایف بی آر) نے ۔30 تا 100 ڈالر مالیت کے موبائل پر 1320 روپے ٹیکس عائد کر دیا ہے، 100 تا 200 ڈالر کے موبائل پر 1680 روپے ٹیکس عائد ہو گا۔

    ایف بی آر کے مطابق 200 تا 350 ڈالر کے موبائل پر 1740 روپے ٹیکس دینا پڑے گا، 350 تا 500 ڈالر کے موبائل پر 5 ہزار 400 روپے ٹیکس عائد ہو گا، 500 ڈالر سے زائد مالیت کے موبائل پر 9 ہزار 270 روپے ٹیکس عائد ہو گا۔

  • Government should allow us at least 2 mobiles (1 Used + 1 New) free of Tax as we are sending around 50K every month and paying Tax here for everything. This is un justice specially for those people who are getting less than 1000 Dirham. Imran Khan have to rethink his strategy for the Overseas Pakistani. Asif Rao from Abu Dhabi – UAE

  • Galaxy J6 Model j600F/DS ka kitna tax jama karna hoga mobile registration k liye ?? PTA se block ho gya hai sim nhi utha raha hai….

  • Sir I have paid the tax and after 3 working days i got a msg from 8483 that custom duty paid and your device is approved, i checked on dirbs aap my phone is approved … but sims are still not working… How much time it will get to unblock mobile signals???

  • My brother is coming form Saudi Arabia and bring hes iPhone 8+ he’s block yesterday on 20/08/2019 please let me know for Tex paid for this mobile please

  • Mera mobile he moto play6 used mein liya tha single sim he
    May se block he online registration ki thi magr kuch nahi howa
    Plz mujhe batayn mein ne kitna tax pay karna he plz

  • Mera mobile he moto play6 used mein liya tha single sim he
    May se block he online registration ki thi magr kuch nahi howa
    Plz mujhe batayn mein ne kitna tax pay karna he plz


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