Country set to become net phone exporter

Pakistan’s telecom sector is witnessing a paradigm shift and as a result the country is on its way to become a net exporter of handsets from being an importer at present. Foreign shipments of mobile phones, which began last year, are contributing to the economy in terms of foreign exchange earnings, employment generation and transfer of technology. The pace of cellphone exports has gradually picked up, supported by expansion and increase in assembly plants in the country. “In the second half of 2022, we will feature among established mobile phone exporters in the world,” remarked Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood in an interview with The Express Tribune. Following the establishment of assembly plants for cellular phones in Pakistan, the import of completely built units (CBUs) of digital devices has dropped to 10.3 million, he said. According to statistics provided by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Pakistan imported 28.02 million handsets in 2019 alone. Now, the country produces around 25 million phones due to the growing local assembly facilities including many globally renowned brands.