The Hidden Cost No One Counts
Here’s the part policymakers rarely acknowledge.
When a phone is imported:
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Foreign exchange is already spent
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Duties are already paid
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The device physically exists inside Pakistan
But when registration fees are too high, the phone becomes unusable.
That means:
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Imported devices sit idle
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Billions in spent foreign exchange produce zero utility
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Citizens are forced to buy parallel low-end phones just to make calls
So now the country loses twice:
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Forex is spent
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Productivity is blocked
This is not revenue generation.
This is economic leakage.
“Rationalization” Isn’t Enough
Every few months, we hear the same word: rationalization.
Lower slabs.
Adjusted rates.
Minor relief.
But here’s the uncomfortable truth: some things should not be taxed at all.
If Pakistan wants to compete globally in freelancing, IT exports, and digital services, then high-performance smartphones should be effectively zero-rated.
Not discounted.
Not partially waived.
Zero.
You cannot ask a Pakistani freelancer to compete with the world while throttling the very device that enables that competition.
