LAHORE – The National Assembly has approved a provision in the Finance Bill 2026-27 allowing individuals to pay taxes on imported mobile phones in instalments, a move aimed at reducing the upfront cost of device registration.
Under the new measure, consumers registering imported smartphones through the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) Device Identification, Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS) will be permitted to clear applicable taxes through a government-prescribed instalment plan.
The legislation stipulates that all instalments must be paid within the same financial year in which the device is imported.
The facility will be available for both new and used imported mobile phones and is set to take effect from July 1, 2026, following the enforcement of the Finance Act 2026-27.
The government is expected to issue separate notifications outlining the payment procedure, eligibility requirements and other operational details.
