Pakistanis allowed only one cellphone in a year to bring to Pakistan duty-free

Pakistan's Minister of State for Revenue Hammad Azhar has announced that those travelling to Pakistan will be allowed to bring in only one cellphone per year free of customs duty as per the personal baggage rules.

Overseas Pakistanis can take only one phone in a year without paying customs duty and a maximum of five can be brought in as per personal baggage rules. But they will have to pay duty on the four extra handsets, Hammad Azhar said on Saturday.

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

Pakistan's Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Friday said that every one of those cell phones brought into the nation illicitly after December 31 will be obstructed by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). 

He said this choice was taken to control cell phone carrying, which is harming the national economy. In 2017-18, Pakistan imported $847.66 million (Dh3.11 billion) worth of cell phones. In the past money related year, Pakistan had imported over $1 billion worth of telephones as there was no obligation on imports from China because of an unhindered commerce understanding and a little obligation on imports from different nations. 

Azhar said that if individuals are acquiring another telephone or convey any telephone that they wish to introduce a SIM in and enact after December 1, 2018, they should send its IMEI number to 8484 to think about its legitimate status. The IMEI number can be found in the portable's case or by dialing *#06#. 

Azhar said the bureau has additionally affirmed the unwinding in arrangements in regards to business import of new and utilized cell phones. 

"Restriction on business import of utilized telephones is additionally lifted if the said telephone models comply with PTA controls and obligations and charges are paid on them," he included. 

He, in any case, cautioned that cell phones sold after December 1, 2018 that are not custom obligation paid (i.e., pirated) will be deactivated by the PTA following 30 days. Telephones at present being used or enacted before December 1 won't be influenced or require enrollment.