In an effort to enhance transparency and curb hidden charges, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has published comprehensive details of mobile service tariffs across the country. The move comes amid growing public concern over rising costs of mobile usage and associated taxation.
According to the PTA, users not enrolled in any mobile packages will be charged standard “Pay As You Go (PayG)” rates, which range from Rs3.2 to Rs3.6 per minute for voice calls. SMS rates fall between Rs2.15 and Rs2.5 per message, while mobile data is charged at Rs3.3 to Rs5 per megabyte.
A 15% Withholding Tax (WHT) on every Rs100 recharge effectively reduces the value to Rs86.96. Furthermore, a 19.5% General Sales Tax (GST) applies to individual services—calls, SMS, and data usage—adding approximately Rs14.19. As a result, the total tax impact on a single Rs100 recharge stands at Rs27.23.
The PTA emphasized that GST applies uniformly across all service bundles, offers, and subscriptions, affecting both prepaid and postpaid customers across all telecom networks.
From a regulatory standpoint, operators with Significant Market Power (SMP)—currently only Jazz—are required to seek prior approval from the PTA before implementing tariff changes or launching new packages. These operators must submit detailed proposals including the rationale, consumer impact assessments, and industry comparisons.
In contrast, non-SMP operators such as Ufone, Telenor, and Zong are permitted to set their tariffs independently. However, all service providers are obligated to notify users at least seven days in advance of any price revisions.
While the PTA did not indicate the timing of the last tariff update, it reaffirmed that any proposed adjustments by SMPs undergo thorough scrutiny, taking into account operational costs, inflation, and prevailing market conditions.
