The data regarding Pakistan’s mobile phone imports and local manufacturing/assembling of handsets presents an interesting overview of the country’s telecommunications sector.

Firstly, the significant growth in mobile phone imports during the first nine months of the current fiscal year, registering a 181.26 percent increase compared to the same period last year, reflects a rising demand for mobile devices in Pakistan. This surge in imports indicates a robust market for mobile phones within the country.

However, it’s noteworthy that there was a slight decline of 4.87 percent in mobile phone imports on a month-on-month basis in March 2024. Despite this decrease, the year-on-year growth in March 2024 compared to March 2023 is staggering, reaching 930.92 percent. This indicates a substantial increase in demand for mobile phones compared to the previous year.

Also Read:Pakistan Sees 138% Surge in Mobile Phone Imports During the First 7 Months of FY24

Moreover, the overall telecom imports, including mobile phones, experienced significant growth during July-March 2023-24, registering a 117.90 percent increase compared to the same period last fiscal year. This growth trend extends to March 2024, with overall telecom imports recording a remarkable 422.58 percent increase year-on-year.

The data also highlights the contribution of local manufacturing/assembling plants to the mobile phone market. The production of 6.1 million mobile handsets during the first two months of the calendar year 2024 demonstrates the growing capacity of local manufacturing facilities. However, there was a slight decline in local manufacturing/assembling during the calendar year 2023, attributed to issues in imports related to the restriction of LCs for mobile phone accessories.

Overall, the data underscores the dynamic nature of Pakistan’s telecommunications sector, characterized by increasing demand for mobile devices, growth in imports, and efforts to bolster local manufacturing capabilities.