The local manufacturing and assembly plants produced and assembled 13.08 million mobile devices during the first five months of 2024,while commercial imports accounted for 0.76 million of the total.According to official figures, 2.23 million mobile devices were produced or assembled locally in May, whereas 0.11 million were commercially imported.
Among the 13.08 million mobile phones produced or assembled locally were 8.1 million smartphones and 4.98 million 2G phones.Furthermore, according to PTA data, 39% of mobile devices on the Pakistan network are 2G, and 61% of mobile devices are smartphones.
In 2023, there was a four percent decrease in the local production and assembly of mobile phones. This reduction was caused by restrictions on issuing letters of credit (LCs) for mobile phone accessories, which led to problems with imports.Official data, however, showed that during this time, commercial imports of mobile devices rose despite limitations.
In comparison to 21.94 million in 2022 and 24.66 million in 2021, local manufacturing facilities produced and assembled 21.28 million mobile phones in 2023. But from 1.53 million in 2022 to 1.58 million in 2023, commercial imports rose. In addition, 13. million 2G and 8.28 million smartphones were among the 21.28 million mobile phones that were produced or built locally.
In the first 11 months of the current fiscal year 2023–24, from July to May, the nation imported mobile phones valued at $1.621 billion, up 213.97 percent from $516.488 million in the same time the previous fiscal year.
In terms of rupees, the nation imported mobile phones worth Rs458.472 billion in the first 11 months of the current fiscal year 2023–24, a 277.37 percent increase over the same time the previous year when compared to Rs121.491 billion.
The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) revealed data showing that the country’s mobile phone imports fell 1.58 percent on a month-over-month (MoM) basis in May 2024, totaling $158.842 million, as opposed to $161.384 million in April 2024.
In May 2024, imports of mobile phones increased by 267.68 percent year over year (YoY) to $43.201 million from May 2023.From July to May of 2023, the total amount of telecom imports into the nation was $2.047 billion, representing a 138.04 percent increase over the $860.281 million during the same time of the previous fiscal year.
When compared year over year, the total telecom imports increased by 163.19 percent to $212.980 million in May 2024 from $80.922 million in May 2023. Comparing May 2024 to April 2024, the total telecom imports increased by 0.66 percent on a month-over-month basis to $211.589 million.
