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ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has denied recent reports claiming that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) taxes on mobile phones have been removed. According to the PTA, no such action has been taken.
Contrary to circulating claims that the Prime Minister of Pakistan announced the removal of these taxes, the PTA states that the Government of Pakistan has not communicated any such decision to them.
Moreover, the reports falsely suggest that Pakistanis returning from abroad will not have to pay these taxes and that non-PTA mobile users can have their devices approved by simply turning them on and off with a SIM inserted.
In July 2023, the Prime Minister extended a facility allowing overseas Pakistanis to register their handsets tax-free through the Temporary Registration System for 120 days during each visit to Pakistan. The PTA emphasizes that this temporary facility is the only measure currently in place, and no broader removal of FBR taxes on handset registration has been enacted.
The PTA further clarified that its role is to verify the technical standards of mobile devices for registration through the Device Identification Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS) after the payment of FBR taxes. The responsibility for implementing and collecting these taxes lies solely with the FBR.
