Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has publicly supported calls to reduce taxes on mobile phones imported from abroad, acknowledging that the heavy duty burden is creating difficulties for consumers and the telecom industry. Brigadier (Retd) Amir Shahzad, the PTA’s Director General of Licensing, stated at an AI conference that although many people attribute the tax to PTA, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is actually responsible for collecting it.
Shahzad emphasized that PTA officials are just like any other citizens: they pay full taxes on their devices, receive no freebies, and are equally affected by the current regime of import duties, sales tax, and device registration fees.
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The push for tax relief has gained significant political backing. MNA Syed Ali Qasim Gilani has urged the Standing Committee on Finance to review the taxation structure, arguing that exorbitant duties are limiting access to digital tools and slowing down Pakistan’s technological progress. He pointed out that devices worth over USD 500 face a 25% sales tax plus an 18% general sales tax, which is a steep barrier for many citizens.
The public, including overseas Pakistanis, has long complained that these high taxes make registering and using international phones prohibitively expensive.
