The recommendation was made during a meeting of the committee chaired by Senator Rana Mahmood-ul-Hassan, where members reviewed the pricing mechanism and taxes imposed on imported mobile phones.
The committee directed customs authorities to develop an effective mechanism for determining taxes on imported mobile phones. It also sought reports from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the Tariff Commission on the existing tax structure.
FBR officials told the committee that the authority to impose or abolish taxes rests with Parliament. Meanwhile, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) officials informed the committee that 35 companies are currently manufacturing smartphones in Pakistan.
Senator Abdul Qadir said the committee would also need to consider whether mobile phones should be taxed at all.
Senator Sadia Abbasi criticised the government’s taxation policies, saying that imposing additional taxes was creating difficulties for the public and that the government should facilitate businesses rather than burden them.
Senator Dilawar Khan said Pakistan’s policies lacked long-term planning. Cabinet Secretary Kamran Ali, meanwhile, opposed the imposition of sales tax on mobile phones, saying that digital payments were bringing major changes to the country’s system.
