Islamabad (Commerce Desk) The government has significantly increased the valuation of smartphones, raising taxes on imported mobile phones, which is expected to increase the prices of various brands.
According to the Directorate General of Customs Valuation of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), a new valuation ruling has been issued under which taxes on imported mobile phones will now be collected according to revised rates.
Officials said that under the new policy, the customs value of mobile phones has been increased by up to 175%, making devices such as iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, and Google Pixel across 62 models more expensive.
The new system will apply uniformly to all used mobile phones, regardless of their condition. It has also been made mandatory that imported mobile phones must have been activated at least six months prior.
According to the document, importers will be required to provide complete details regarding mobile activation, while the previous valuation order has been withdrawn and new ruling number 2070 has been implemented.
Officials said that the purpose of revising prices is to improve the tax system based on market and import data; however, this decision is expected to significantly increase the cost of both used and imported mobile phones.
