Business

Govt to reduce tax on imported mobiles for next fiscal year

Published

3 months ago

June 23, 2026

Bilal

A lawmaker said that the National Assembly has included a number of adjustments in the Finance Bill for the next fiscal year to a certain extent decrease taxes on imported mobile phones.

The legislative measures follow a lengthy parliamentary debate after the original draft of the federal budget did not include recommended reforms of the nation’s heavily taxed telecoms sector.

The modifications did not include the extensive tax rollbacks sought by a parliamentary commission, but are a sign of a policy shift towards lowering the burden on mobile customers, said MNA Kasim Gilani.

“This is not enough, we know this, but still whatever has been done let’s take this for this year,” Gilani told foreign media. “We will cut next year, too.

“If a phone costs 200,000 rupees ($720), the tax on it right now was 106,000 rupees to be exact ,” Gilani said, adding that the parliamentary budget committee had urged in March that cellphones be classified as a necessity rather than a luxury asset.

When the main budget ignored these proposals, MPs had earlier this month invoked amendment provisions to take on the luxury GST rate of 25% as well as import obstacles prescribed by statute.

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) after a long debate accepted changes in the final wording of the Finance Bill. Gilani said the government had agreed to remove 20 percent Regulatory Duty on all imported smart phones.

Second, the FBR has approved an adjustment for the mid-tier import bracket, which is for devices costing between $200 and $300, including highly saturated market segments. The concession will have revenue impact of around Rs1 billion ($3.6 million) on the states. The luxury GST rate of up to 25% remains applicable to high-end cellphones priced above $500, and the only respite in the current budget cycle is a 20% reduction in regulatory charge.

Lawmakers proposed an amendment in the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) registration criteria that consumers will be able to pay charge in instalments to deal with the millions of handsets working outside the lawful cellular network.

“PTA can block the device of those who cannot pay the installment in any month, with a small penalty for re-activation,” Gilani recommended. “Make this plan to get more people into the tax net, get their devices registered.”

Business

Jet fuel price rises by Rs9.05 per litre in Pakistan

Published

1 hour ago

October 4, 2026

Bilal

Jet fuel prices have once again increased in the country, along with the price of kerosene oil.

The price of jet fuel has been increased by Rs9.05 per litre, while kerosene oil has become Rs7.68 per litre more expensive.

Following the increase, the new price of jet fuel has been fixed at Rs355.52 per litre, while kerosene oil will now cost Rs329.54 per litre.

Meanwhile, according to a notification issued by the Petroleum Division, the price of petrol has also been increased by Rs2.10 per litre, taking its new price to Rs392.76 per litre.

Business

Govt sets deadline of 20th Oct for pilgrims to pay 2nd Hajj installment

Published

1 hour ago

October 4, 2026

Bilal

The religious affairs ministry stated late Friday that the federal government has fixed October 20 as the deadline for intending pilgrims selected under the government Hajj system to deposit the second installment of their pilgrimage dues.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has set aside 107,526 slots for the government plan, including 30,000 for a shorter package, and another 71,696 slots have been granted to the private scheme for next year’s Hajj.

The country on Aug. 25 completed online booking of all tickets in the government Hajj scheme, the first time the whole quota has been filled through a digital reservation system.

The ministry of religious affairs said in a statement on Friday that the applications of pilgrims for next year’s Hajj will be cancelled if they did not pay by the deadline.

“The dates for depositing the second installment of dues for Hajj pilgrims under the government scheme have been fixed from 5 October to 20 October, 2026,” the ministry said.

“If the second installment is not deposited within the deadline, then the Ministry said the pilgrim’s application will be cancelled and the amount deposited earlier will be refunded to the pilgrim’s account,” the Ministry said.

Under the government arrangement, pilgrims can pay the second payment of Hajj dues through the ‘Pak Hajj App’ or digital Hajj site within the stipulated deadline.

The government said that submitting the Hajj medical fitness certificate on the ‘Pak Hajj’ app or the digital Hajj portal was essential before depositing the second installment.

This year the government announced that pilgrims will pay Rs1.2 million ($4,334) for a 40-day Hajj package and Rs1.3 million ($4,695) for a shorter, 20- to 25-day package under the government system.

The first installment of dues for seats under the shorter government package was paid within 24 hours of the process starting on Aug 18 and the rest of the seats under the plan were booked by Aug 25.

Business

Petrol price goes up by Rs2.10, diesel by 30 paisa a liter:

Published

1 day ago

October 3, 2026

Bilal

– Petrol and diesel prices have been increased once again under the latest fuel-price revision.

The revised prices will take effect from October 3, 2026.

According to a notification issued by the Petroleum Division, the price of petrol has been increased by Rs2.10 per litre. Following the latest increase, petrol will now cost Rs392.76 per litre.

The price of high-speed diesel has also been raised by 30 paisa per litre, taking its new rate to Rs399.64 per litre.

The Petroleum Division said the announced rates are linked to movements in international petrol and diesel prices.

According to the notification, changes in the global market, Platts rates, premiums and other associated costs were taken into account when determining the revised prices.