The government is seriously considering proposals to provide relief in PTA mobile phone taxes for overseas Pakistanis. Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry told the Senate on Thursday. Responding to a supplementary question raised by Senator Abid Sher Ali during Question Hour, the minister said overseas Pakistanis had repeatedly called for relaxation in mobile phone taxes during overseas conventions held in Pakistan.
He said mobile phones brought from abroad remain functional for only a limited period of a few weeks. After that, services get suspended unless the owner pays the prescribed PTA tax. The minister said different tax rates currently apply to different mobile phone models. The matter of easing the tax burden on overseas Pakistanis is under serious consideration by the government. This potential relief in PTA mobile phone taxes would help millions of expats who visit home regularly.
The development comes weeks after the National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance directed the Federal Board of Revenue and the Tax Policy Unit to examine the rationalization of duties and taxes on imported mobile phones. The committee wants this review in the upcoming federal budget for 2026-27. Overseas Pakistanis send billions of dollars in remittances each year. They have long demanded this relaxation. The minister did not provide a timeline for a final decision, but expats should watch the budget announcements closely.
