Good news for the diaspora: starting 2 July 2025, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is letting every overseas Pakistani register one personal handset, duty‑free, for up to 120 days on each trip home. The facility is live on the Device Identification Registration & Blocking System (DIRBS) portal under the new Temporary Mobile Registration module and, unlike the old process, costs nothing upfront.
How the window works
- Who qualifies? Any Pakistani passport holder living abroad (and foreign visitors) who does not plan to leave the phone in Pakistan permanently.
- One device per visit: You’ll enter the phone’s IMEI(s), your passport number, arrival date and intended departure date. The portal cross‑checks arrival data in real time with FIA’s IBMS, helping PTA filter out misuse.
- SIM in your own name: The system pairs the handset to a Pakistani SIM registered on your CNIC/passport, so borrowed numbers won’t fly.
- Automatic expiry: On the 121st day the IMEI is suspended from local networks. Flying in again? Just log back into DIRBS and re‑activate with the same credentials, still free.
Why it matters
Until now, visitors had to cough up customs duties that often ran Rs. 40,000–70,000 on a mid‑range phone or risk a network block. Scrapping that cost for short stays removes a headache, encourages legal device use and, PTA hopes, discourages grey‑market phone smuggling. The authority also calls it a step toward “enhancing digital inclusion” by keeping travelers connected without painful paperwork.
Quick checklist before you land
- Note your phone’s IMEI (dial *#06#).
- Create or log into a DIRBS account.
- Submit passport, arrival date and Pakistani SIM details.
- Keep the confirmation SMS/email, airport customs may ask.
- Leaving the phone behind after 120 days? Pay the usual duty first or the IMEI stays blocked.
For frequent flyers, this small tweak means big convenience: no more scrambling for a temporary handset or paying hefty taxes just to stay online for a family wedding.
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