Govt considering tax relief on mobile phones for overseas Pakistanis
Minister says proposals under review after repeated demands from expatriates during overseas conventions
The government is considering proposals to provide relief in Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) taxes on mobile phones for overseas Pakistanis visiting the country, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry told the Senate on Thursday.
Responding to a supplementary question raised by Abid Sher Ali during the Question Hour, the minister said overseas Pakistanis had repeatedly raised concerns regarding PTA taxes on mobile phones during overseas conventions held in Pakistan.
He said mobile phones brought from abroad remain operational for only a limited period before services are suspended unless the applicable PTA tax is paid.
The minister informed the Senate that different tax rates had been set for different mobile phone models and added that the government was seriously examining options to ease the burden on expatriates.
The development comes weeks after the National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance directed the Federal Board of Revenue and the Tax Policy Unit to review and rationalise duties and taxes on imported mobile phones in the upcoming 2026-27 budget.
Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to join the discussion!
