Gilgit-Baltistan launches online system for tax exemptions on Chinese imports

Gilgit-Baltistan has introduced a web-based process for traders seeking tax relief on eligible Chinese imports, with the facility capped at Rs4 billion a year. Profit by Pakistan Today reported that Chief Minister Amjad Hussain Azar inaugurated the Gilgit-Baltistan Traders' Registration and Tax Exemption System, intended to make applications clearer and access fairer.

The relief applies to qualifying goods arriving through Sost Dry Port for use within the region, and covers sales tax, income tax and federal excise duty. The scheme stems from a September 2025 agreement reached after a 68-day traders' protest disrupted traffic on the Karakoram Highway. Applicants need a registered firm or partnership. Azar also called for proposals for a trade-free zone in Gilgit, which the provincial government plans to fund itself.