PTA begins blocking unregistered mobile phones across the country
It hasn't implemented a Senate committee's recommendations to extend the deadline
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) began blocking unregistered mobile phones in the country Wednesday morning.
The drive against counterfeit and smuggle phones began as scheduled despite the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology recommending that the drive be extended by 10 days.
Earlier, the authority had announced that it would block all non-compliant devices after January 15. The automatic system began operating Wednesday morning.
If you have purchased a branded (packed) phone from the market, it will be duty paid. In that case, you don’t have to worry because when you insert your SIM or connect with a network for the first time, your phone is registered automatically. However, if you have bought a Chinese phone of an unknown brand or unpacked phone, also known as kits in the local market, your device will be blocked. To get it unblocked, you will have to pay a fine equal in value to 10% of the customs duty on the given handset.
This move will mainly affect new unregistered phones coming into the country after today.
Related: After Jan 15, you will have to pay a fine to register your mobile phone with PTA
In October, the PTA had said it would block all mobile phones whose International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number is not registered with it till October 20. The deadline was extended till December 31 after public backlash and panic.
The government has formed this policy to curb smuggling of mobile phones that evade taxes by using one IMEI number for multiple (read hundreds of thousands) mobile phones.
The IMEI is a unique code given to your mobile by its maker just like the vehicle identification number. The government uses this number to identify a valid phone on a network (Jazz, Telenor or Zong for example) and can block the handset’s access to the network. If the PTA blocks your mobile phone’s IMEI number, you cannot use it on any mobile network in Pakistan—the phone will simply not function.
18 Comments
Leave a Reply to Muhammad waqas Cancel reply
PERFECT
This is great effort, well done Govt. of Pakistan
my father age is above 70 and my mother is of 65 . i purchased mobiles for them last year and both are blocked now,i bought these mobiles from UAE where i am working and living .
My father mobile J7-6 2016 ( PTA /FBR tax 11134 pkr , now currant rate of that mobile is maximum 16 to 17000 now on 17000 i have to pay govt 11134 ) is this great effort WOW.
2nd mobile samsung s6 ( market value 20000 may be amount of tax 20259) lolx .in short this is not a great effort sir this is idiotic behavior of Rulers.
I have a query and any help would be highly appreciated. I’m coming from Canada in a week or so. I will be bringing in 2 phones. One of them (Samsung s8) is already registered with PTA as I had used that phone in Pakistan in 2017-2018. My second phone (Apple Iphone XS) is new and not yet registered.
My question is that would I be charged any duty on my new phone?
If we go by the “one duty free phone per year” policy then my new phone (Iphone XS) would actually be my first one of the year 2019 that has yet to be registered. So, I shouldn’t be charged any duty. Any comments on that?
Such a hassle for foreigners and overseas Pakistanis. Next thing they going to start implementing tax on the clothes overseas pakistanis bring along with them and limit them to just one piece. Absolutely ridiculous. Have travelled aroun the world never seen such bullshit system anywhere.
PTA website is not working more than one week https://dirbs.pta.gov.pk/
Overseas Pakistani can’t check is it got registered or no.
If they don’t know the work why they start this kind of stuff…!
I have the same query, the PTA site mentions that “all mobile devices including non-compliant (having SIM/IMEI functionality) active on Pakistani mobile networks till 15th January 2019, will remain operational without service interruption. Non-compliant mobile devices will be paired with user’s mobile number”, but it also says in the message explanation section that “Such paired IMEIs/mobiles will receive network services on the paired SIMs only”
so there is a lot of confusion.
lost my phone
model:ATU_L31
COLOUR:BLACK
IMEI1:868125037880800
lost my phone
model:LDN-L21 Y7
COLOUR:BLACK
IMEI1:867241037445105
may summsing j7 mobail is bolck i send message form pta
I have a big question for Govt and PTA and PTI Officials , since 60 year you all were sleeping now every where you are looking for getting tax if a person is purchased 5000 mobile or 6 or 8000 why he need to pay tax when he is not able to be a tax filer when its income is low.
if it is a custom tax then why and how all mobile shipped to Pakistan without proper channel
and when all mobile are sold to innocent people then you are going to block them ?
after the dead line definitely all mobiles on all the market will be black listed or block so why you don’t force to shop kipper , how you could sale the mobile phone which you did not pay the customer duty why people are bothered for that do you have any solution rather than just blocking the cell phone ?
I think All mobile shops are closed because all are selling kit and used non register mobile?
secondly you are taking too much tax if a person buy 10 000 cell you are taking 5000 8000 tax ? is it a fair
jab bandar ky hath ustra lag jay tu asa hi hota ha jasa ya govt aur is ky saray dept. kar rahay han. shame on such policies and attitude
My Mobile is block by PTI Where can i go and pay tax and get my phone fixed
konsa mo
bile hay mai hareedna chahta huu 03119994001
Mobile mein sim kai ilawa sb chalta hai??
03227375263 i can open it
Myself Muhammad waqas #03338721899 Where i can pay tax for my mobile please update me soon
Mobile functions work except sim when it is blocked by pta??