ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has approved a new facility allowing people who bring mobile phones into Pakistan from abroad for personal use to pay the applicable sales tax in instalments.
According to the details, the decision is aimed at providing greater financial flexibility to citizens who import or bring mobile devices from overseas.
The move comes around two months after the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) announced a tax instalment program for mobile devices.
In a circular issued by the FBR, the facility was incorporated through an amendment to the Ninth Schedule of the Sales Tax Act, 1990.
Under the new mechanism, citizens will no longer have to pay the applicable sales tax on an imported mobile phone entirely at once. Instead, they will be able to pay the tax in instalments.
However, all outstanding tax amounts must be paid in full before the end of the relevant financial year. The facility will be implemented through the PTA’s Device Identification, Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS).
The government had ended the facility for passengers to bring mobile phones duty-free in July 2019. Since then, payment of the applicable duties and taxes in advance has generally been required for mobile phones brought from abroad to be used on local networks.
The FBR’s latest decision is expected to provide overseas travelers bringing mobile phones into Pakistan with greater flexibility in managing their tax payments.
Pakistanis Traveling Abroad on Visit Visas Urged to Beware of Job Scams
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment (BEOE) has issued an important advisory for Pakistani citizens traveling abroad on visit or tourist visas, warning them against falling victim to fraudulent job offers.
The bureau advised travellers not to trust unregistered agents or sub-agents who promise employment after arrival in a foreign country. Such individuals often claim that a visitor visa can easily be converted into a work visa or guarantee that a job will be arranged once the traveller reaches the destination.
According to the advisory, visit and tourist visas generally do not permit employment. Any change in visa status is subject to the laws of the destination country and a formal decision by the relevant immigration authorities. No agent can legally guarantee such a conversion.
Working illegally on a visit or tourist visa can expose individuals to serious consequences, including:
Arrest, detention and legal proceedings
Fines and deportation
Long-term or permanent bans on entering the country
Loss of future visa and legal employment opportunities
Having to bear the cost of returning to Pakistan
The bureau also warned that people working without legal status are at greater risk of exploitation. This may include unpaid or reduced wages, excessive working hours, unsafe working conditions, passport confiscation and restrictions on movement.
Such workers may also have limited access to medical treatment, legal assistance and effective complaint mechanisms, while facing increased mental stress, fear, isolation and family difficulties.
How to Seek Employment Safely
The BEOE advised Pakistanis seeking overseas employment to take the following precautions:
Deal only with an Overseas Employment Promoter (OEP) licensed by the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment.
Verify the OEP’s license, job offer and Foreign Service Agreement through official government sources.
Do not pay money or hand over original documents to unauthorized agents, sub-agents or social media accounts.
Make payments only through legal channels and obtain proper receipts.
Before departure, obtain a valid work visa, written employment contract and all other required documents.
Carefully review the salary, duties, working hours, accommodation, transportation, medical facilities, leave and return conditions before signing the contract.
Obtain the required legal protection from the relevant Protector of Emigrants before leaving Pakistan.
The advisory urged prospective overseas workers to verify employment and immigration arrangements through official channels rather than relying on promises made by unauthorized intermediaries.
