Pakistan's National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance has approved an amendment to the Finance Bill 2026 that would allow consumers to pay PTA taxes on imported mobile phones in installments.
Payments would be collected through the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority's device registration system. The revised report will now go before the full National Assembly for a clause-by-clause vote.
How would installment payments for PTA taxes on imported phones work?
Under the amendment, consumers could spread PTA tax payments across multiple installments through the PTA's Device Identification, Registration and Blocking System, or DIRBS.
The facility applies to both new and used imported handsets. However, the full tax amount must be cleared before the end of the financial year in which the device is imported.
Who benefits from the PTA tax installment plan?
Currently, consumers must pay the full PTA registration tax upfront before an imported handset can be activated on Pakistan's mobile networks.
The installment option is designed to ease that financial burden, particularly for buyers of higher-end smartphones that attract substantial taxes and duties. If parliament approves the measure, the government would still collect the full revenue within the same fiscal year.
What else is changing under the Finance Bill 2026 for mobile phones?
The installment facility is part of a broader set of tax and regulatory proposals under the Finance Bill 2026 as lawmakers finalize the federal budget framework for the upcoming fiscal year.
Separate amendments include a 20% reduction in regulatory duty on mid-tier imported handsets, specifically those valued between $200 and $300. The Federal Board of Revenue has also signaled relief measures on low-cost mobile imports.
Comments
See what people are discussing