Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has expressed support for reducing taxes imposed on mobile phones brought into the country from abroad. According to PTA’s Director General Licensing, Brigadier (Retd) Amir Shahzad, the public’s long-standing demand for tax relief aligns with the authority’s own stance, as the high taxation has affected all stakeholders, including consumers and industry officials.
Speaking at an AI Conference, the DG Licensing clarified that the power to collect taxes on mobile phones does not rest with the PTA. He said the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is solely responsible for levying and collecting these duties. He reiterated that the authority has repeatedly clarified this misconception, as many citizens mistakenly believe PTA imposes or receives the mobile phone tax.
Brigadier (Retd) Amir Shahzad added that PTA officials are equally affected by mobile phone taxes and do not receive any free devices or exemptions. He said officials purchase mobile phones like ordinary citizens and pay all applicable duties and taxes without any privilege or concession.
Member National Assembly Syed Ali Qasim Gilani had earlier raised serious concerns over the extraordinarily high taxes on mobile phones. He wrote to the Standing Committee on Finance, urging an immediate review of the current taxation mechanism.
According to him, heavy import duties, sales taxes and registration fees have restricted citizens’ access to digital technology. He highlighted that phones valued above USD 500 are subject to 25 percent sales tax and 18 percent general sales tax, which he termed a significant barrier to technological advancement.
The demand for tax reduction has also been echoed widely by the public, including overseas Pakistanis, who have long complained that excessive taxes make it difficult to register and use mobile phones brought from abroad.
I say what I said before
Who placed these charges ? Parliament
Who imposed them ? PTA
If they wanted to decrease them , they’d have done so in Parliament bill. Nothing done.
All just talk.
Pata nhn kon jahil in government mn Beth k policymakers ban jaty hn. Aik mobile jis ki cost sy zada uska tax ban jata hy usko kon ly ga. Basically hmary Dor k hr party Ka km away KO nuqsan pohnchana hy.
Allah hadayaat Dy in luteroo KO. Amen
PTA itself .
jab inko issue hua tu kahyal aya kay tax kam karna hai mobile par
They imposed the taxes in the first place
This is all just pointless excuses. They could really decrease taxes tomorrow. They don’t want to. They just pretend to hate these taxes.
Parliament imposes taxes through budget. All PTA taxes were approved by parliament through budget
No matter how much they try to pretend. We all know they are lying. And propakistani are lying as well.
Parliament imposed the taxes in the first place
This is all just pointless excuses. They could decrease taxes tomorrow if they wanted to. They don’t want to. They just pretend to hate these taxes.
Parliament imposes taxes through budget. All PTA taxes were approved by parliament through budget.
We know these tricks
If anyone with journalistic integrity wrote this article
They would point out alot of things.
Fbr “collects” taxes. It doesn’t levy them. PTA and Parliament imposes taxes. Fbr collects it.
Also after reading the article, anyone can dark that (Retd) Amir Shahzad was speaking at an ai conference not in Parliament session, where it actually matter. Babbling at conference as a guest means nothing.
He is wrong and got caught