Major Relief for People Bringing Imported Mobile Phones for Personal Use
Sanaullah Nagra (@) | September 16, 2026 | 07:36 PM
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has introduced a significant relief for individuals bringing imported mobile phones for personal use. Following the discontinuation of the free mobile phone facility for travelers in July 2019, the FBR has approved an installment facility for paying sales tax on these devices.
Installment Payment Option
According to a media report, the Federal Board of Revenue has formally approved the installment-based payment of sales tax on imported and personal-use mobile phones. This move follows the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority's (PTA) announcement of its tax installment program two months ago.
An FBR circular stated that the installment facility for mobile phones was added through an amendment to the Ninth schedule of the Sales Tax Act, 1990. Citizens can now pay the sales tax on their devices in manageable installments instead of a lump sum. However, all outstanding taxes must be settled in full by the end of the relevant financial year. The system will be activated through the PTA’s ‘DIRBS’ platform.
Background
Recall that the government ended the free mobile phone facility for travelers in July 2019, making advance payment of all duties and taxes mandatory for using mobile phones on local networks.