The government is actively considering proposals to provide relief in PTA mobile phone taxes for overseas Pakistanis, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry informed the Senate on Thursday.
Speaking during the Question Hour session in response to a supplementary question from Senator Abid Sher Ali, the minister said overseas Pakistanis have repeatedly demanded relaxation in mobile phone taxes during various overseas conventions held in Pakistan.
He explained that mobile phones brought from abroad remain operational for only a few weeks before services are blocked unless the required PTA tax is paid.
Dr. Tariq Fazal noted that different tax rates currently apply to different smartphone models and confirmed that the government is seriously reviewing options to reduce the tax burden on overseas Pakistanis.
The discussion comes shortly after the National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance directed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the Tax Policy Unit to review the rationalization of duties and taxes on imported mobile phones in the upcoming 2026–27 federal budget.
