Islamabad Entertainment Duty on Event Tickets: 50 Per Cent, and What Organisers Must Submit
Islamabad entertainment duty is 50 per cent of the ticket price for concerts, shows and matches. The 4 papers organisers file with Excise and worked examples.
Short answer: any paid event in Islamabad, such as a concert, show, cinema screening or sports match with entry tickets, owes entertainment duty to the Islamabad Excise and Taxation Department. The law sets the duty at 100 per cent of the ticket price, but the Excise website says the Chief Commissioner of Islamabad has cut it to 50 per cent. On a Rs 2,000 ticket that is Rs 1,000 in duty. We read this on the Excise website on 9 November 2026.
Winter is the busy season for events in Islamabad. Wedding season, music nights, comedy shows and food festivals fill hotel halls and open grounds from November to February. Organisers who sell tickets often do not know that the duty applies, or that the office expects to hear about the event in advance. This guide explains the Islamabad entertainment duty rate, what organisers must submit, and how the duty changes a ticket price.
The rules here are from the Excise Services section of the Islamabad Excise website. Its helpline is 051-111-383-383.
Islamabad entertainment duty is 50 per cent of the ticket price
The Excise website says the 1958 ordinance sets a 100 per cent duty on paid entertainment, but the Chief Commissioner, Islamabad has revised it to 50 per cent. So a Rs 1,000 ticket carries Rs 500 in duty.
The website gives its own example for the old rate. If an organiser charges Rs 500 a ticket at 100 per cent, the duty is also Rs 500, and the customer pays Rs 1,000 in the end. At the revised 50 per cent rate, the same ticket carries Rs 250 in duty.
| Ticket price | Duty at 50 per cent | Price if the duty is added on top |
|---|---|---|
| Rs 500 | Rs 250 | Rs 750 |
| Rs 1,000 | Rs 500 | Rs 1,500 |
| Rs 2,000 | Rs 1,000 | Rs 3,000 |
| Rs 5,000 | Rs 2,500 | Rs 7,500 |
| Rs 10,000 | Rs 5,000 | Rs 15,000 |
The website does not give the date or number of the Chief Commissioner's order. It also does not say whether the duty is worked out on the price before or after duty. Our table follows the website's own example, where duty is added on top of the organiser's price. Confirm the working with the Excise and Taxation Officer (ETO) for your event.
Which events pay entertainment duty in Islamabad
The duty applies to events held for entertainment that charge an entry fee. The Excise website names cinema shows, theatre performances, sports events and concerts. A free event with no entry ticket does not fall under this rule.
The Excise website describes the duty as applying to "all those events which are organized for entertainment and charge some amount in the shape of entry tickets". That covers:
- Concerts and music nights
- Theatre and stage shows, including comedy
- Cinema shows
- Sports events that sell tickets
- Other ticketed shows, fairs and festivals held for entertainment
The website does not separate tickets sold at the gate from passes sold online, so plan as if both count. Charity events and school functions are not mentioned on the website, so do not assume they are exempt.
What organisers must submit before the event
The Excise website says organisers must tell the department about the function in advance and submit four things: an application to the ETO, the event brochure, the schedule with date, time and place, and the ticket rate.
- Application to the ETO. Address it to the Excise and Taxation Officer, Islamabad.
- Brochure or pamphlet. It should explain the purpose and nature of the event.
- Schedule. The date, timing and place of the event.
- Ticket rate. The price of each entry pass or ticket, for every class if you sell more than one.
The website does not say how many days in advance to apply. Allow at least a week, and apply before you print tickets, so the price you print already includes any duty you choose to pass on.
Where to apply in Islamabad
Applications go to the Excise and Taxation Office in Sector H-9, Islamabad. The website lists hours of 8 am to 4 pm, Monday to Friday, with a 1 pm to 2 pm break. Saturday and Sunday are holidays.
Plan around that. An event on a Saturday night needs its papers in by Friday afternoon at the latest. Public holidays close the office too. Our page on Islamabad Excise office timings has the counter details.
The event venue may also need other permissions, such as from the district administration, police or CDA. Those are separate from the duty and were not on the Excise pages we read.
What ticket buyers should know
For buyers, the duty can be a large part of a ticket's price. An organiser may add the duty on top of the ticket, absorb it, or split it. The law does not require the price to show the duty separately, in what we read.
If you are buying tickets for an event abroad, such as a cricket league in the Gulf, this duty does not apply. Our guide to Abu Dhabi T10 tickets covers one such event. Hotels in Islamabad also pay a separate bed tax on rooms, which we cover in our hotel bed tax guide.
Common questions
What is the entertainment duty rate in Islamabad?
50 per cent of the ticket price, according to the Islamabad Excise website, which says the Chief Commissioner revised it down from the 100 per cent in the 1958 ordinance.
Does entertainment duty apply to concerts in Islamabad?
Yes. The Excise website names concerts, along with cinema shows, theatre and sports events, as long as entry tickets are sold.
Who pays entertainment duty, the organiser or the buyer?
The organiser is responsible for it. The Excise website's example shows the duty added on top, so the buyer ends up paying it through the ticket price.
What documents does an event organiser need for Excise in Islamabad?
An application to the ETO, a brochure of the event, its schedule with date, time and place, and the ticket rate.
Do free events pay entertainment duty?
The Excise website applies the duty to events that charge for entry tickets. A free event with no ticket is not covered by that description.
Which law covers entertainment duty in Islamabad?
An ordinance of 1958, as the Excise website names it. The 50 per cent rate comes from an order of the Chief Commissioner, Islamabad.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on 9 November 2026. The duty rate, the 1958 ordinance, the 50 per cent revision, the event types, the worked example and the document list are from the Entertainment Duty section of the Islamabad Excise and Taxation Department website. The office hours are from the same site. The ticket table is our own working at 50 per cent. We did not apply for an event or call the ETO.
About the author
Tax, Bills and Technology Writer
Ali Akhtar is a young and curious voice here at Pakistan Era. He is currently pursuing his A-Levels and has a growing interest in Pakistan’s changing industrial landscape and educational trends. Ali likes to write in a way that helps him explain and explore the world around him. His writing reflects the perspective of the new generation navigating the evolving trends of Pakistan where technology, youth innovation, and shifting opportunities are reshaping the country’s future.
