Gilgit-Baltistan has launched an online registration system that lets local traders apply for tax exemptions on goods imported from China, under a federal relief package capped at Rs4 billion a year. Chief Minister Amjad Hussain Azar formally launched the platform, called the Gilgit-Baltistan Traders’ Registration and Tax Exemption System (GB-TERS), on Friday, November 6, 2026.
What happened?
The GB government has moved trader registration for the tax exemption scheme online. Instead of paper-based applications, eligible traders can now register through GB-TERS to claim exemptions on goods brought in through the Sost Dry Port for local consumption in Gilgit-Baltistan. The system is designed to make access to the exemptions transparent and fair, and to prevent discrimination among applicants.
Key details
- Goods imported through Sost Dry Port for consumption within Gilgit-Baltistan are exempt from sales tax, income tax and federal excise duty, subject to an annual ceiling of Rs4 billion.
- Applicants must operate a registered firm or partnership, and the importing firm must be wholly owned by people holding Gilgit-Baltistan domicile.
- Only goods falling under specified Pakistan Customs Tariff codes are eligible, and each consignment needs online authorisation from the notified Gilgit-Baltistan authority.
- Exemptions are granted on a first-come, first-served basis; once the annual Rs4 billion limit is reached, further imports become taxable.
- The relief package was approved by the federal government in September 2025, following a 68-day protest by traders at Sost Dry Port, and the Federal Board of Revenue introduced it through a notification under the Customs Act 1969, Sales Tax Act 1990, Federal Excise Act 2005 and Income Tax Ordinance 2001.
What it means for people in Pakistan
For traders in Gilgit-Baltistan, the online system should make it simpler and fairer to claim the tax relief they were promised, without repeated visits to government offices. Clearer rules and a transparent queue also mean the Rs4 billion annual relief is more likely to reach the local businesses it was meant for, which can help keep prices of imported goods lower for people across the region.
