National Assembly Committee Questions High Taxes on Imported Mobile Phones

The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Finance began its recent meeting by focusing on one of the most debated public concerns in recent months — the heavy taxes placed on mobile phones brought into Pakistan by overseas Pakistanis. The discussion highlighted how these taxes are creating financial pressure on citizens and causing widespread frustration.

MNA Ali Qasim Gilani took the lead in raising this issue. He said that the high taxes do not only affect Pakistanis living abroad, but millions of people across the country. Gilani pointed out that overseas Pakistanis are not allowed to bring even one mobile phone into the country without paying large taxes, which many consider unfair. He further explained that returning Pakistanis, who may have used the same phone for years, are still being forced to pay new taxes on their own device when they re-enter Pakistan. According to him, this has become a major inconvenience for families who frequently travel for work.

Gilani emphasized that the situation is pushing people toward grey-market solutions. Many users now carry two phones — one that is PTA-approved and another that operates without PTA registration — simply to avoid excessive charges. This trend, he warned, is not only inconvenient but also harmful to the legal mobile market. He added that the list of taxes on mobile phones is long and confusing, and most importantly, unlike many other types of taxes, the money paid for PTA-related taxes cannot be refunded under any circumstances. He said this feels especially unfair when even older models like the iPhone 12, which was released six years ago, still carry a massive tax of around Rs. 75,000, making such phones unaffordable for many Pakistanis.

Committee Chairman Naveed Qamar responded by clarifying that all tax-related issues fall under the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). However, because the FBR Chairman was not present at the meeting, the committee was unable to get direct answers. The Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) also clarified his position, stating that the PTA itself does not impose any taxes. All taxes on mobile devices, he said, are determined and collected by the FBR. As a result, the committee decided to postpone the discussion until the next meeting, when FBR officials will be present to explain the current policy in detail.

Later, while speaking informally to journalists at Parliament House, the PTA Chairman repeated that tax decisions are made by the government and the FBR, not PTA. He said the PTA would actually support lower taxes if the decision were in its hands because lower taxes would make mobile phones more affordable, encourage regularization, and reduce grey-market activity. He also suggested that older and low-value devices should be taxed less because their market value has already dropped significantly.

He added that reducing taxes could help the government in the long run by encouraging more people to officially register their devices, increasing overall compliance and transparency in the telecom sector.

The issue is expected to be revisited in the next committee meeting, where lawmakers hope the FBR will provide a clear explanation of why taxes are set so high and whether any relief can be offered to overseas Pakistanis and the general public. Many citizens are closely watching the situation, hoping for a more practical and affordable tax policy in the future.

READ MORE: Redmi Note 15 Global Models Leak with Camera, Battery, and Price Details