ISLAMABAD: The country imported mobile phones worth $792.612 million during the first half (July-December) of the current fiscal year 2023-24, registering a growth of 118.45 per cent when compared to $362.841 million during the same period of last year.

Pakistan’s mobile phone imports increased by 20.16 per cent on a month-on-month (MoM) basis in December 2023 and stood at $176.093 million compared to imports of $146.549 million in November 2023, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

Mobile phone imports registered 143.59 per cent growth on a year-on-year (YoY) basis in December 2023 when compared to $72.291 million in December 2022.

The overall telecom imports into the country stood at $1.010 billion during July-December 2023 and registered 78.64 per cent growth compared to $565.720 million during the same period of the last fiscal year.

On a YoY basis, the overall telecom imports registered a growth of 96.43per cent and stood at $216.263 million in December 2023 compared to $110.095 million in December 2022. On a MoM basis, the overall telecom imports registered 15.29 per cent growth in December 2023 compared to $187.580 million during November 2023.

Amir Allahwala, vice president Mobile Manufacturing Industries told Business Recorder that with import restrictions easing, the import of mobile phone parts are opening up too and local industry’s capacity utilization is going up. The 31 local mobile manufacturers employ over 40,000 Pakistani workers, technicians, engineers and management professionals, he added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024