Imported mobile phones in Pakistan are set to receive some tax relief after the government reduced regulatory duties under its tariff reform plan for fiscal year 2026-27.
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) introduced revised Regulatory Duty (RD) rates from July 1, 2026, as part of the National Tariff Policy 2025-30. Under the new structure, products previously subject to RD rates of 20% or less received a 20% reduction in the applicable duty rate. The policy is aimed at gradually reducing regulatory duties and making Pakistan’s import tariff system simpler.
The change also covers imported mobile phones. Earlier, the government reduced the regulatory duty on phones priced between $101 and $200 from Rs7,500 to Rs6,000 per device. Income tax on this category was also lowered, while the 18% sales tax remained unchanged.
The move comes as mobile phone imports continue to grow. Pakistan imported phones worth $1.888 billion in FY2025-26, compared with $1.497 billion in the previous fiscal year.
In August, a Senate committee also called for lower taxes on imported phones and a review of the valuation system. However, the latest duty cuts won’t reduce prices equally across all phone models, as final costs will also depend on the phone’s value, exchange rate and retailer pricing.
