Technology & Gadgets | July 2026 | 4 min read
Pakistan’s telecom regulator has again drawn attention to the cost of mobile phones, with its chairman telling lawmakers that a reported 60% tax burden is too high for consumers.
⚡ Quick Takeaways
- PTA Chairman Major General (R) Hafeez Ur Rehman told a National Assembly committee that a 60% tax on mobile phones is too high.
- He said PTA recommends tax reductions every year, but it does not impose the duties and taxes charged on handsets.
- PTA’s role is to operate DIRBS and whitelist devices, rather than set the tax charged on individual phones.
- The authority said 37 companies are licensed to manufacture or assemble phones in Pakistan, with around 26 million assembled locally.
- Lawmakers called for smartphones to be treated as essential digital tools and urged more global brands to assemble devices locally.
| 60% tax level cited |
37 licensed firms |
26M phones assembled locally |
PTA Says Taxes Are Not Set by the Regulator
Speaking at a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology, PTA Chairman Major General (R) Hafeez Ur Rehman said the authority considers the reported 60% tax burden on mobile phones too high. He said PTA sends recommendations for tax reductions to the government each year because high costs can limit access to modern devices.
The chairman also sought to separate PTA’s regulatory work from the tax policy that determines a handset’s final cost. He said the authority does not levy duties or taxes on phones, and its role is limited to the Device Identification, Registration and Blocking System, known as DIRBS, as well as device whitelisting.
That distinction matters for buyers who often link the price of a new phone directly to PTA registration. DIRBS is designed to identify and register devices on local networks. The duties, sales taxes and other charges that can affect a handset’s price are set through government tax and customs policy, not by the regulator.
| What PTA Can Do PTA can advise the government, manage device identification and enforce registration rules, but it does not set the import duty or tax payable on a particular phone model. |
Committee Calls Smartphones Essential
Committee Chairman Syed Amin Ul Haque said smartphones should no longer be treated as luxury goods. For many people, a phone is now the main way to use banking, education platforms, government services, maps, messaging and online work tools. A high tax burden, he argued, makes those services harder to reach for lower- and middle-income households.
The discussion did not establish one universal tax rate for every device. The final amount can vary by handset value, category and the applicable duties and taxes. The 60% figure should therefore be understood as the burden raised during the committee discussion, rather than a confirmed flat rate for all mobile phones.
Minister of State for IT Shaza Fatima Khawaja told the committee that higher-end imported devices, including Apple iPhones and Google Pixel phones, are among the handsets that attract higher taxes. This leaves consumers facing a sharper price gap between locally available devices and premium imports.
Local Assembly Has Expanded
PTA told lawmakers that it has licensed 37 companies to manufacture or assemble mobile phones in Pakistan. Around 26 million phones are assembled locally, while imported handsets account for about 8% of the market, according to the figures shared at the meeting.
Local assembly can support jobs, shorten supply chains and make more models available without relying entirely on finished-device imports. However, local production does not automatically solve the affordability issue. Components, exchange-rate pressure, taxes and the cost of moving devices through the formal market can still shape retail prices.
| Committee Point | Figure or Position | Why It Matters |
| Tax burden raised | 60% cited by PTA chairman | Highlights affordability concerns for phone buyers |
| Local assembly | 37 licensed firms; around 26M phones | Shows the scale of domestic assembly |
| Imported handsets | About 8% of phones | Premium imports can face higher charges |
Push for More Global Brands
Amin Ul Haque said Pakistan should also encourage more global brands to assemble phones in the country. He pointed to Nokia and Samsung as examples of brands already operating locally and said companies such as Apple should be encouraged to explore local assembly as well.
For policy makers, the debate has two connected goals: make legitimate devices more affordable for consumers and build a more competitive local manufacturing base. Tax relief, if approved by the government, could lower prices. At the same time, predictable rules and a larger supply chain would be needed to persuade more premium brands to establish local production.
| Consumer Watch Buyers should check the applicable official taxes and DIRBS registration status for a specific model before purchase, as rates and requirements can differ by device. |
Disclaimer: This article is based on remarks reported from a parliamentary committee meeting. Taxes and device-registration requirements can change; consumers should confirm current rates through official channels before buying a phone.
