Pakistan may launch installment facility for PTA tax payment on phones

ISLAMABAD –Lawmakers have proposed that the government introduce an installment-based payment facility for PTA taxes on imported mobile phone registration. They highlighted that a large number of imported mobile phones remain unregistered on the country’s legal cellular networks due to high registration charges. To address the issue, lawmakers suggested reforms to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) registration framework. They recommended allowing consumers to pay the registration fees in installments through the Device Identification, Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS), instead of requiring full payment upfront. The proposal aims to make phone registration more affordable and encourage users to bring devices onto the official network. What is the PTA Tax “PTA tax” is the duty and associated charges levied by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to register mobile phones imported from abroad for use on local networks through the PTA’s DIRBS system. Paying this tax is mandatory to ensure the device remains functional and avoids network service suspension in Pakistan. The proposal was placed when the National Assembly integrated a series of amendments into the Finance Bill 2026-27 to partially slash taxes on imported mobile phones. The proposed changes aim to address Pakistan’s complex mobile phone taxation system, which has contributed to higher prices for legally imported devices. Before the revisions, multiple taxes including General Sales Tax (GST), Regulatory Duty (RD), Mobile Device Levy and Withholding Tax collectively increased the overall tax burden on imported phones to around 63% of their original value. Lawmaker Kasim Gilani said that a smartphone priced at Rs200,000 ($720) was currently facing approximately Rs106,000 in taxes. He added that the parliamentary finance committee had earlier recommended classifying mobile phones as essential items rather than luxury products. After these recommendations were not included in the initial budge