The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has decided to bar travellers coming from abroad from bringing any goods beyond $1,200 in value, it emerged on Monday.

An FBR notification dated December 6, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, proposed changes in the Baggage Rules, 2006, under Section 219 of the Customs Act, 1969.

It changed the definition of “commercial quantity” in the rules from a quantity of goods imported prima facie for trading or pecuniary gain and not for personal use or gift and imposed a value limit of $1,200.

It also defined the commercial quantity for mobile phones as the “quantity exceeding one phone other than the one in personal use of the passenger”.

Regarding penalties for those bringing in the commercial quantity of goods, the notification said the goods would not be released even on payment of duty, taxes and redemption fine.

The notification said that any objections or suggestions to the FBR for consideration should be sent within seven days of the notification’s publication in the official Gazette.

Follow Dawn Business on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook for insights on business, finance and tech from Pakistan and across the world.

Opinion

Editorial

Mideast outreach
Updated 12 Aug, 2026

Mideast outreach

OVER the past few days, Pakistan has been going the extra mile to assure Iran that the Makkah Joint Defence ...
Nutrition emergency
12 Aug, 2026

Nutrition emergency

MALNUTRITION has become one of the biggest obstacles to Pakistan’s development. Around 40pc of children under five...
Housing deficit
12 Aug, 2026

Housing deficit

THE federal cabinet’s zoning directive has the potential to be the most consequential decision in the redefinition...
Equal citizens
Updated 11 Aug, 2026

Equal citizens

Religious minorities continue to face mob violence, attacks on their places of worship, forced conversions and social and economic exclusion.
Tel Aviv’s subterfuge
Updated 11 Aug, 2026

Tel Aviv’s subterfuge

These verbal gymnastics indicate that Tel Aviv has no intention of ending its occupation of the Strip.
Abandoned after floods
11 Aug, 2026

Abandoned after floods

THREE years after the 2022 floods submerged a third of Pakistan, more than 134,000 verified affected families in...