ISLAMABAD, May 7, 2026 – Pakistan is considering reducing taxes on mobile phones registered through the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority to provide relief for overseas Pakistanis visiting the country, a senior federal minister told the Senate on Thursday.
Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said the government was seriously reviewing proposals aimed at easing the tax burden on expatriates bringing mobile phones from abroad.
Responding to a supplementary question raised during the Senate’s Question Hour session, the minister said overseas Pakistanis had repeatedly sought relaxation in PTA mobile phone taxes during overseas conventions held in Pakistan.
He said mobile phones brought into the country from abroad typically remain operational for only a few weeks before services are suspended unless the applicable PTA registration tax is paid.
The minister noted that tax rates currently vary according to the model and value of mobile phones, adding that the government was actively considering measures to make the system more convenient for overseas Pakistanis.
Chaudhry said facilitating overseas Pakistanis remained a priority for the government, particularly as the country sought to strengthen investor confidence and improve economic conditions.
Pakistan relies heavily on remittances sent by overseas workers, which remain a key source of foreign exchange earnings for the South Asian economy.
