Chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Rashid Mahmood Langrial has told the National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue that the government is considering reducing taxes on imported smartphones priced up to $200.

Briefing the committee, he said the proposal to ease the tax burden on lower-cost phones is under review. He added that imported mobile phones currently contribute around Rs. 37 billion in annual revenue, with Apple devices accounting for nearly Rs. 21 billion of that total.

According to the FBR’s breakdown, smartphones in the $101–$200 range are taxed at 40 percent, while sets priced between $201 and $350 carry a 38 percent duty. Phones in the $351–$500 bracket are taxed at 40 percent, and devices above $500 are subject to a 41 percent rate.

Officials said the overall effective tax rate on imported mobile phones averages 39.6 percent. Depending on price category, the tax per device ranges from around Rs. 1,500 to as high as Rs. 141,500.

The briefing also noted that nearly 44 percent of imported smartphones fall within the $31–$100 price segment, making it the largest category in the market.