FBR withdraws baggage rules tweaks’ draft notification after confusion

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has reversed its draft amendments in the Baggage Rules, allowing passengers to bring two mobile phones from abroad.

Sources said through the draft amendments, the Board had barred the travelers from bringing home goods valuing over $1,200. The additional devices were subject to confiscation.

The draft amendments exposed the FBR to severe criticism.

FBR Chairman Rashid Mehmood Langrial took notice and instructed the Customs authorities to withdraw the proposed amendments. “The amendments in the Baggage Rules have been instructed to be withdrawn and now the Customs high-ups will hold broader consultations and come up with any desired changes in the rules,” Langrial said while talking to The News on Tuesday.

After the withdrawal of proposed amendments, the travelers will have the permission to bring up to two mobile phones under the existing regulations.

The notification also sought to classify goods worth more than $1,200 as commercial, barring their release even with payment of duties, taxes, or fines. The notification had said that the recommendations on amendments could be made within seven days after which they were not to be accepted.

Meanwhile, the FBR issued a draft SRO 2028(I)/2024 dated 06.12.2024 proposing certain amendments in its notification No SRO 666(I)/2006 dated 28.06.2006 pertaining to the Baggage Rules, which created a wrong impression that the value of personal baggage has been fixed up to USD1,200 and this confusion has been circulating in the press and other media.

It is hereby clarified that in the draft notification, the term “commercial quantity” defined in Baggage Rules, 2006 was elaborated to fix a limit of USD1,200 for goods brought in baggage prima facie for trading or pecuniary gain. The purpose of the draft amendment is to curb the misuse of the baggage facility by commercial carriers. However, as explicitly mentioned in the notification the limit of USD 1,200 does not include the items for “personal use or gift” by a passenger. Therefore, it is clarified that the limit of USD1,200 mentioned in the draft Notification does not apply to items of personal use and bona fide baggage items. The impression that the Customs shall confiscate personal baggage valuing more than USD1,200 is strongly rebutted.

As the draft notification has been widely misinterpreted in the public particularly in the social media, therefore, to avoid spread of further confusion, the draft Notification has been withdrawn.