Member of the National Assembly Syed Ali Qasim Gillani has called on the Standing Committee on Finance to immediately review the extraordinarily high taxes imposed on mobile phones, warning that the current tax regime is restricting millions of Pakistanis from accessing digital facilities and slowing the nation’s technological progress.
In a letter addressed to the committee members, Gillani highlighted that smartphones have become essential tools for education, business, and access to government and financial services. He emphasized that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) have imposed steep import duties, sales taxes, and registration fees, making smartphones unaffordable for ordinary citizens.
According to Gillani, mobile phones valued at over USD 500 are currently subject to 25% sales tax in addition to an 18% general sales tax (GST). Locally manufactured and imported phones face further levies, including fees charged under the Device Identification Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS).
“These excessive costs are discouraging low-income citizens and first-time buyers,” Gillani stated, noting that mobile phones are no longer a luxury but a basic necessity for economic and social inclusion.
He further warned that such fiscal policies are undermining digital inclusion, increasing business costs, and hampering the growth of Pakistan’s expanding online services sector. Gillani argued that this tax burden could slow innovation and weaken Pakistan’s competitiveness in the global digital economy.
The lawmaker urged the government to adopt a balanced policy that maintains national revenue streams while ensuring affordable smartphone access and support for digital advancement. He requested the parliamentary finance committee to take up the issue under its ongoing financial reform agenda.
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