President Zardari orders FTO to re-examine case of 42 missing iPhones

2026-03-02 - 08:54

ISLAMABAD – President Asif Ali Zardari has instructed the Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) to re-examine a case involving the alleged confiscation and destruction of 42 iPhone 14 Pro Max devices at Islamabad Airport. The case was originally brought before the FTO by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to challenge an earlier order regarding a complaint filed under the Federal Tax Ombudsman Ordinance, 2000. The complaint accused officials from the Collectorate of Customs at Islamabad Airport of seizing the devices but failing to return them to the importer. Customs authorities had claimed that the phones were destroyed, but the importer contended that iCloud records showed the devices were still active and some had even been restored. This raised suspicions of possible misuse of the devices, leading the importer to seek a thorough investigation, accountability, and compensation for the financial and reputational damage caused. In response, the customs department maintained that a fact-finding inquiry had already been conducted following the FTO’s earlier recommendations in May 2024, and the findings were submitted in September 2024. Customs officials argued that a second complaint on the same issue was not valid since the importer had other avenues, such as a review or appeal to the president. The customs department also disputed the claim about active iCloud accounts, explaining that iCloud accounts are not device-specific and can be accessed from multiple devices. They emphasized that the 42 devices had been blacklisted by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and that proper procedures were followed in detaining and destroying the phones. After reviewing the case, the president directed the FTO to determine whether the phones could have been released to the importer upon payment of duties and taxes, as well as to further investigate the destruction claims. The FTO has been instructed to resolve the matter within a month of receiving the order.