Gone are the days when you could conveniently ask someone flying from overseas to buy you the latest Apple iPhone – of course, for its exclusivity and the price point that you can get from the Apple store.
Now, the government of Pakistan has imposed heavy goods and services taxes (GST) and customs duty charges on iPhones which adds up to quite a huge sum making it difficult for people from now onwards to get their hands on the latest technology.
As per sources, a 17% GST has shot prices of all iPhones quite high, as much as 1/3 price of the phone itself. So whether you register your phone on your passport or buy within the country, you will have to pay high taxes.
Following is the list of iPhone models and their taxes imposed from nowonwards.
Tax Increase for IPhone#boycottPTA pic.twitter.com/l2cWSQKiyh
— رنگِ حنا (@fashionista_786) January 22, 2022
A Twitter user pointed out that the tax on a new iPhone 7x is greater than the fine for killing and burning a man in the streets.
The tax on a new iPhone is 7x greater than the fine for killing and burning a man in the streets
What a country pic.twitter.com/KPkpnfO4nW
— H™ 🇵🇸 (@MahatmaaGanji) January 22, 2022
Of course, the taxes imposed have initiated a conversation. People who complain are the kind of people who save up for months to buy iPhones.
the iphone tax discourse is pretty funny waisay. the people complaining about the taxes are the ones who save up for months to buy it – meanwhile the people who should be taxed through the throat are the ones for whom the tax is irrelevant cause they're that rich?
— Asfandyar Khan (@asfand) January 22, 2022
The iPhone has become out of reach of many who earlier may as well be able to invest in the latest technology.
Cancelling my plans to buy new iPhone because of increased pta tax. Previously it was because of the original cost of the phone
— b (@KhaNuBya) January 21, 2022
For iPhone 12/13, you have to pay at least 70k + tax to use a sim card inside the phone.
PTA tax on Iphone 12/13 or other equivalent price phones is now 70,000+ pkr. This government is fucked. Mulk mera ulti tarakki karta hai MashAllah.
— Saad Ur Rehman (@duckybhai) January 22, 2022
Someone on Twitter tweeted, “Are you guys enjoying this Tabdheeli?”
Are you guys ENJOYING this Tabdheeli?
PTA phone tax went up from Rs 46,000 to Rs 78,000. Which means, if you’re buying an iPhone, you’ll have to give additional Rs 78,000 tax.
Nalayak KHUD development kar nahi sakay, bus awaam par TAX laga kar bethe huae. Failures!#Nonsense— Saad Kaiser (@TheSaadKaiser) January 21, 2022
Yes taxes are awesome and the rich should pay more taxes on iPhone 13s yada yada, but all this futile if the mafias running this country, the real tax evaders, aren't brought into the tax net. Covering up your failures by burdening those already paying taxes isn't the solution.
— اسریٰ (@freakonomist5) January 22, 2022
New PTA tax 78k for iPhone, cars can get registered for a lesser amount. #ThanksImranKhan
— Salman Junejo (@salmanjunejo) January 21, 2022
Taxes are increasing but “not employment and monthly wages.”
Why is tax 1/3rd the price of iphone. Government is increasing taxes day by day but not employment and monthly wages. Where the fuck do we stand? Pure insanity.
— Mehak (@basalcrackles) January 21, 2022
Bilawal Bhutto Questions PM Imran Khan on Imposition of Tax on Condoms given the Overpopulation Crisis in Pakistan. Read the full story here:
Chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said in Parliament that he didn’t expect the Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan to impose a tax on contraceptives. During the National Assembly session, Bhutto criticized the PTI government over the taxes proposed in the mini-budget. He mockingly said, “I didn’t expect that player Imran Khan would tax contraceptives.” He emphasized that the matter is not a mere joke or laughable.
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