iPhone 6 PTA Tax in Pakistan 2026

You have an iPhone 6 and you want to know what it costs to register it. The iPhone 6 PTA tax is around PKR 5,101 on CNIC.

Before you pay it, there is something you should know. WhatsApp does not work on the iPhone 6 anymore. It stopped in June 2025 and it is not coming back.

So the real question is not just how much the tax is. It is whether this phone is worth paying for at all. This guide covers both, and it also explains why some people end up paying far less than PKR 5,101 for the same phone.

The basic rule first. Every phone used in Pakistan has to be registered with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority before it can accept a local SIM. If it is not registered, no Pakistani SIM will work in it and only Wi-Fi keeps running. To register it you pay a tax, collected by FBR, and the amount depends on the model and on whether you register with your CNIC or your passport.

iPhone 6 PTA Tax in Pakistan 2026

Here is the estimated registration amount for all four models in the iPhone 6 family.

All four cost the same. There is no extra charge for the Plus versions and no difference between the 6 and the 6s.

For some iPhone 6 phones the tax comes out much lower, closer to PKR 649. That is not a mistake and it is explained further down this page. Plan for PKR 5,101 and treat anything lower as good news.

WhatsApp Does Not Work on the iPhone 6

This is the part most people find out after they have already paid the tax.

WhatsApp needs iOS 15.1 or newer to run. The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus stop at iOS 12.5.7 and cannot go any higher, so WhatsApp does not open on them at all. This has been the case since June 2025.

The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus are different. They can run iOS 15.8.8, so WhatsApp works on them normally.

There is one date to note if you own a 6s. From 30 November 2026, WhatsApp requires iOS 15.5 or newer. Your iPhone 6s can reach that, so no new phone is needed. Open Settings, then General, then Software Update, and install whatever it offers before that date.

Should You Pay PTA Tax on an iPhone 6

Here is the plain arithmetic.

A used iPhone 6 sells for roughly PKR 7,000 to 10,000 in Pakistan, depending on condition and battery health. The registration tax is PKR 5,101. That is more than half the price of the phone, and on the iPhone 6 it is being spent on a device that cannot run WhatsApp.

For the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus this is hard to justify. You are paying a large amount to keep a phone that cannot do the one thing most people in Pakistan need a phone for. If it is only going to be used for calls and SMS, a basic feature phone costs less than the tax alone.

For the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus the picture is better. WhatsApp works, calls work, and if the battery is in reasonable shape the phone is still usable as a spare or as a first phone for a child. If you already own one, paying the tax is a fair decision.

If you are thinking of buying an iPhone 6 today, add the tax to the asking price before you compare it with anything else. At that total, a newer budget Android will do more.

Why the iPhone 6 Tax Is Sometimes Lower

FBR sets a customs value for each used phone model, and that value decides which tax bracket the phone falls into. The current list comes from Valuation Ruling 2076/2026, issued in April 2026.

That list starts at the iPhone 15 Pro Max and ends at the iPhone 7. The iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s and 6s Plus are not on it.

The ruling explains what happens for models it does not name. In those cases the clearance office works out a value at the time of import by comparing the phone with similar models, under Sections 25(5) and 25(6) of the Customs Act. There is no fixed published number to look up.

That assigned value decides everything. Phones valued at USD 30 or below sit in the lowest bracket. Phones valued above USD 30 move into the next one, where the fixed amount is much higher.

The iPhone 6 sits right on that line. The closest phone that does appear on the list is the iPhone 7, valued at USD 35, which is just above the cut off. An iPhone 6 is older than an iPhone 7, so it can be assessed on either side of USD 30.

This is why you will see different figures quoted for the same phone. Both can be correct. Only DIRBS can tell you which one applies to yours. If you want the detail on how these values are set, see our guide to the FBR valuation ruling for used phones.

iPhone 6 PTA Tax on CNIC and Passport

PTA charges two different rates for the same phone, and the one you get depends on the document you register with.

The passport rate is lower, but it has a strict condition. You must have brought the phone into Pakistan yourself, and your passport must show an arrival date within the last 60 days. You cannot buy a phone from a shop in Pakistan and ask for the passport rate on it.

For almost everyone reading this, the CNIC rate is the one that applies.

iPhone 6 PTA Approved Price in Pakistan

There are two ways to end up with a working iPhone 6 on a Pakistani SIM.

The first is buying a non PTA phone cheap and registering it yourself. You pay the asking price plus the tax. You will not know the exact tax until you run the IMEI through DIRBS, and on this model that figure can swing between PKR 649 and PKR 5,101.

The second is buying one that is already PTA approved. It costs more up front because the tax is already built into the price, but you know the total before you hand over any money and the phone will not get blocked later.

On a phone this cheap, already approved is usually the safer choice. If the tax lands at PKR 5,101, whatever you saved by buying non PTA is gone. Newer models behave more predictably here, because they have published values. The iPhone 8 PTA tax and the PTA tax on the iPhone X are both fixed amounts you can check before buying.

How to Check the Exact PTA Tax on Your iPhone 6

Since there is no published value for this model, the official portal is the only place that gives you a real figure.

1. Dial *#06# on the phone to see its IMEI number. You can also find it in Settings, then General, then About.
2. Open the official DIRBS portal at dirbs.pta.gov.pk.
3. Enter the IMEI and check the current status of the device.
4. If it is not registered, go to the registration section and start a request.
5. The system generates a PSID showing the exact tax for that specific IMEI.
6. Pay the PSID through your bank app, an ATM, or a bank branch.

Whatever the PSID says is the real amount. Everything else, including this page, is an estimate. Our guide on checking PTA tax by IMEI walks through each step in more detail, and you can check any other model with our PTA tax calculator for all phones.

If Your iPhone 6 Is Already Blocked

Blocked simply means the 60 day grace period ran out and the SIM stopped working. Nothing worse than that happens.

There is no fine. The tax does not increase because you waited. You can register the phone today and it will start working again once the payment clears, usually within a day.

If you bought the phone secondhand and it was already blocked when you got it, register it on your own CNIC. You do not need the previous owner and you do not need any paperwork from them.

Can You Pay the iPhone 6 PTA Tax in Installments

No. PTA tax is a single payment made against the PSID that DIRBS generates. There is no official installment facility for it, on any model.

At around PKR 5,101 this does not come up often, but people do ask. Our post on the PTA tax installment plan explains the position in full.

Frequently Asked Questions