STAFF REPORT ISLAMABAD: Imports in the telecom sector of Pakis
tan has witnessed a downward trend during the second
quarter of the ongoing fiscal year. The telecom imports mainly consisting of mobile handsets declined about 3.2 per cent, however, there was an increase in the import of other telecom
equipment by 11.3 per cent.According to the data, the decline in the import of mobile phones was observed due to heavy regulatory and customs duties.The government imposed Rs 250 as regulatory tax and Rs 500 as customs duty eying a higher revenue out of the mobile handset industry. The decision resulted in lower tax revenue mainly due to fall in the imports of genuine/legal handsets creating a wide room for smuggled handsets.Later, the government waived off regulatory duty and customs duty by 50 per cent, which resulted in higher import of mobile handsets in the later months. In the first two quarters of FY 2010-2011, total import value of handsets stand at $388 million as compared to $ 329 million in the same period of FY 2009 – 2010.
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