pakistan 
The government took back tax exemptions worth Rs 350 billion in the mini-budget and imposed some new taxes. The Telecom sector accounts for almost 1/10th of these revenue receipts.
We live in an era of smartphones and telecom devices. These devices are amongst the necessities of life these days. However, in the mini-budget, these essentials have been subjected to heavy taxes by the government.
The following few sentences are for those thinking of getting the new iPhone 13.
According to media reports, the tax to register iPhone 13 with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has been increased to Rs 85,000 by the government. The tax was Rs 46,500 previously.
Moreover, the tax on other mobile phones has been doubled as well.
Since 98% of Pakistan’s 147 million population use mobile phones, the majority will have to bear the brunt of these ever-new taxes.
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The phone PTA tax went up from 44K to 78K? Are you kidding me..
— mnl? (@meemelif) January 21, 2022
It is pertinent to state that the tax on mobile phone recharge has also spiked up. The federal government charges a whopping 15% withholding tax on every prepaid recharge.
So, if you are thinking of purchasing a new phone or asking your relative to bring you an iPhone 13 from abroad, think again. The government is on a hunt to tax you yet again.
The highest-end iPhone 13 Pro Max 1 TB will cost you $1,730.92, which is Rs 305k. Earlier, the fixed sales tax on it was Rs 10,000, but now, a 17 per cent tax means that you’d be deprived of Rs 51,861. Meanwhile, the base tax remains 34 thousand.
Government sources say that if a person can afford a phone more than 300k, he can pay 78k in taxes. “Most smartphones sold in Pakistan cost between $150-200. With 70% of them made in Pakistan now, most of the population have to pay very little tax on the purchase of phones.
