Travellers Permitted to Bring 1 Phone a Year Duty-Free in Pakistan

Hammad Azhar—the Minister of State for Revenue has made the announcement that only 1 phone a year would be permitted free of duty in Pakistan from abroad.

The revenue minister in a series of tweets said that a maximum of 5 phones in a year could be carried from abroad to Pakistan, under the personal baggage guidelines. The duty on the remaining 4 phones would have to be paid if one needs to use the phone service in Pakistan after thirty days.

For people bringing in phones from abroad, as per personal baggage rules. One phone per annum is allowed duty free and up to a maximum of 5 phones in a year can be brought in. The duty on remaining 4 will have to be paid if you require service in Pakistan beyond 30 days.
— Hammad Azhar (@Hammad_Azhar) November 24, 2018

The customs electronic automated system has already been integrated with the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA)’s Device Verification System—DIRBS for the sake of implementation and enforcement of this new policy.

He further informed that the IMEI numbers of the phones whose custom duties would be paid would get uploaded automatically into the database of PTA.

Also Read: Duty on Imported Mobile Phones Costing $60 or More to be Increased

Hammad Azhar also announced that the non-custom duty paid phone sets which would be brought after the 1^st of December would be deactivated after a gap of thirty days.

The cabinet has decided that mobile phones sold after 1st Dec 2018 that are not custom duty paid (i.e. smuggled) will be deactivated by PTA after a lapse of 30 days. Phones currently in use or activated before 1st Dec will not be effected or require any registration. 1/2
— Hammad Azhar (@Hammad_Azhar) November 24, 2018

He further mentioned that the phones activated before the mentioned date would remain unaffected.

The Minister of State for Revenue asked the public to check on the legal status of the phone sets while buying via sending their IMEI numbers to 8484.

He also said that if one is buying a new phone or carrying any phone that one desires to install a SIM in for activating after the 1^st of December 2018, then one has to make sure to send its IMEI number to 8484 to learn about its legal status.

If you are purchasing a new phone or carry any phone that you wish to install a sim in and activate after 1st Dec 2018, make sure to send its IMEI number to 8484 to know about its legal status. The IMEI number can be found the mobile phone's box or by dialling *#06# on its screen
— Hammad Azhar (@Hammad_Azhar) November 24, 2018

The IMEI number could be found inside the box of the mobile phone or simply by dialling #06#.

The minister also informed that the cabinet has approved for relaxation in the policies about the commercial imports of new and used mobile phones.

He said that the ban on commercial imports of used phones is also lifted if the said phone models comply with the regulations and duties and all the taxes are paid on them.