Member of the National Assembly Qasim Gillani has criticized the federal government for failing to provide relief on mobile phone taxes and duties in the Budget 2026–27, announcing that he will move an amendment to the Finance Bill to seek changes.
In a statement, Gillani said the budget had ignored longstanding public concerns regarding the high cost of mobile phone imports and registration. He expressed disappointment that the government did not reduce the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) tax or abolish the regulatory duty imposed on mobile devices.
The lawmaker also took issue with the decision to retain the non-adjustable withholding tax and the mobile levy, arguing that these charges continue to place an unnecessary financial burden on consumers. According to him, the latest budget has failed to deliver meaningful relief for people already struggling with rising costs.
Gillani said he intends to formally move an amendment to the Finance Bill and raise the matter again before the relevant parliamentary committee. He maintained that the current tax structure on mobile phones needs to be reviewed to encourage affordability and support greater digital connectivity across the country.
“Unfortunately, the government has neither reduced the PTA tax nor abolished the regulatory duty on mobile phones. It has also failed to remove the non-adjustable withholding tax and the mobile levy,” Gillani said while criticizing the budget proposals.
He added that efforts to push for changes during the budget approval process would continue, ending his remarks with the statement, “The game is on,” signaling that the debate over mobile phone taxation is far from over as Parliament reviews the Finance Bill.
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