FBR Announces New Tax on Imported Guns

Pakistan's Directorate General of Customs Valuation in Karachi has established new customs values for three categories of imported firearms, effective under Valuation Ruling No. 2121/2026. The revised values include a Norinco CF98 9mm pistol at $140, an alternative CF98 9mm pistol at $134, and a Norinco CQ A5 .223 Rem rifle at $205 per unit.

These new values apply to all import sources. This ruling replaces the previous one issued on May 17, 2023, and its addendum from September 23, 2024, for the specified firearms. The Directorate initiated this reassessment after receiving stakeholder requests to review customs values for certain items under the previous ruling. The process followed Order in Revision No. 14/2026, dated May 25, 2026, which directed the Directorate to perform a fresh valuation exercise for arms and ammunition.

Stakeholders were invited to share their views on the existing customs values, and supporting documents were reviewed. Market research was conducted to determine current prices, and the directorate examined multiple valuation methods, including the identical goods method and similar goods method, but ultimately relied on market inquiry under Section 25(7) of the Customs Act, 1969 to set the revised customs values.