How big are solar panel imports?
Solar panels are classified under PCT 8541.4300: photovoltaic cells assembled in modules or made up into panels. In September 2026 they were Pakistan's 11th-largest import line, worth US$89.9 million, or 1.4% of the month's US$6.57 billion import bill. The panels arrived on 280 goods declarations filed by 94 importers.
Panels make up 98.5% of everything imported under heading 8541 (semiconductor devices). Diodes, transistors and LEDs account for the rest. See the full breakdown on the solar panel product page.
Where do Pakistan's solar panels come from?
China supplied 99.94% of the value: US$89.8 million. Every other country combined shipped about US$50,000 worth. The panels were loaded at a handful of Chinese ports:
| Port of loading | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Shanghai | $40.1m | 44.7% |
| Ningbo | $36.4m | 40.5% |
| Shekou (Shenzhen) | $6.4m | 7.2% |
| Qingdao | $2.5m | 2.8% |
| Tianjin Xingang | $1.2m | 1.4% |
On the Pakistan side, 98.9% of the value was cleared at Karachi, all of it by sea. Shanghai and Ningbo to Karachi is the solar trade's main corridor. See the busiest routes on the shipping lanes page.
What duty is paid on imported solar panels?
Importers paid Rs 3.24 billion in taxes on Rs 25.4 billion of assessed value, an effective rate of 12.7%. It was made up of:
- Sales tax: Rs 2.50 billion, or 9.8% of value
- Additional sales tax: Rs 0.74 billion, or 2.9% of value
No customs duty, regulatory duty or withholding income tax was recorded on these declarations in September. That makes solar panels one of the lightest-taxed large imports: across all imports, the effective rate was 27.8%.
These are the amounts actually paid in September 2026, not the tariff schedule. Individual consignments can differ, and rates change with each budget, so confirm the current position with your clearing agent. Compare other products in the import duty finder.
The rest of the solar kit: inverters and batteries
A solar system also needs inverters and, increasingly, batteries. Both are also almost entirely Chinese:
- Lithium-ion batteries (8507.6000): $36.1m, 99.2% from China
- Electrical static converters (8504.4090), which include inverters and chargers: $31.4m, 95.4% from China
Add the panels and that's about $157 million in one month. The converter line also covers equipment that has nothing to do with solar, so treat this as an upper estimate.
Three-month view: imports are falling fast
Solar imports have dropped sharply since July. Panels fell from $218.1m in July to $93.7m in August and $89.9m in September. Batteries and converters followed the same path:
| Product | Jul | Aug | Sep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solar panels | $218.1m | $93.7m | $89.9m |
| Lithium-ion batteries | $85.6m | $56.5m | $36.1m |
| Static converters | $94.8m | $39.5m | $31.4m |
| Total | $398.5m | $189.7m | $157.3m |
The number of solar panel importers fell too, from 164 in July to 101 in August and 94 in September. The effective tax rate barely moved (12.9%, 12.8%, 12.7%), so a change in the tax actually paid doesn't explain the drop over these three months. See the monthly chart on the solar panel page.
A note on quantities
Customs records solar quantities inconsistently: some declarations count panels, others count watts. So the 106.9 million "units" in the data is neither a panel count nor a capacity figure, and we don't publish a per-panel or per-watt price from it. Value is the reliable measure.
Frequently asked questions
What is the PCT code for solar panels in Pakistan?
Solar panels are imported under PCT 8541.4300, which covers photovoltaic cells assembled in modules or made up into panels.
How much tax is paid on imported solar panels in Pakistan?
In September 2026 importers paid an effective 12.7% of assessed value: about 9.8% sales tax and 2.9% additional sales tax. No customs duty or regulatory duty was recorded.
Which country supplies most of Pakistan's solar panels?
China supplied 99.9% of the value of solar panels imported in September 2026, mainly loaded at Shanghai and Ningbo.
Are solar panel imports into Pakistan rising or falling?
Falling. Imports dropped from $218.1m in July 2026 to $93.7m in August and $89.9m in September, a fall of about 59% in two months.
Which port do solar panels arrive at in Pakistan?
Karachi. 98.9% of solar panel imports by value were cleared there in September 2026, all by sea.
Source: Pakistan Customs records for September 2026, aggregated by PakTradeStats. Figures based on fewer than three traders are withheld. See our methodology.