Islamabad, April 16, 2026: The 23rd meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue was held at Parliament House under the chairmanship of Syed Naveed Qamar, MNA, where members deliberated on taxation policies, legislative proposals, and key economic reforms.
The Committee received a detailed briefing on duties and taxes imposed on mobile phones. Officials outlined the existing taxation regime, including income tax and sales tax on both imported and locally manufactured devices. The briefing also covered tax structures for Completely Built Units (CBU) and Completely/Semi Knocked Down (CKD/SKD) imports based on assessed values, along with relevant provisions of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001, and the Sales Tax Act, 1990.
Members were informed about statutory exemptions for mobile phones imported by visually impaired persons and those brought under personal baggage rules. Sales tax rates ranging from 18 to 25 percent ad valorem were also explained, depending on the classification and value of the devices.
Expressing concern, Chairman Syed Naveed Qamar observed that income tax was effectively being treated as sales tax. He directed the Tax Policy Office to review the matter and submit a comprehensive report outlining the rationale, revenue implications, and policy objectives of the existing tax regime, particularly for CBU and CKD/SKD categories.
The Committee recommended a review of the prevailing taxation structure to ensure equity, consumer affordability, and encouragement of local manufacturing. It also called for an examination of existing exemptions under the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001, and the Baggage Rules, 2006.
The Committee considered several legislative proposals and made the following recommendations:
- Approved for Passage (as amended):
- The Special Economic Zones (Amendment) Act, 2026
- The Parliamentary Budget Office Bill, 2025, moved by Rana Iradat Sharif Khan, MNA
- The Export-Import Bank of Pakistan (Amendment) Bill, 2026
Deferred for Further Deliberation:
- The Netting of Financial Arrangements Bill, 2025
- The Fiscal Responsibility and Debt Limitation (Amendment) Act, 2026
- The Financial Institutions (Recovery of Finance) Amendment Act, 2026
- The National Counterfeit Currency Control Authority Bill, 2026, moved by Shahida Rehmani, MNA
The Committee also unanimously approved the minutes of its previous meeting.
The session was attended by MNAs Rana Iradat Sharif Khan, Syed Sami Ul Hassan Gilani, Ali Zahid, Dr. Nafisa Shah, Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, Arshad Abdullah Vohra, Muhammad Jawed Hanif Khan, and Shahida Begum. Senior government representatives included Bilal Azhar Kayani, Minister of State for Finance, and Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh, Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs.
