Pakistan's overall telecom imports bill surged by 29 percent to $844.657 million in July-Dec 2019-20, official figures say. Increase in the telecom imports reached to the tune of $188.73 million in July-Dec 2019-20 from $655.927 million in July-Dec 2018-19, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics suggests.

The country imported 47.17 percent or $51.889 million more telecom goods to $161.895 million in Dec 2019, from $110.006 million in Dec 2018.

Up by 69.25 million or $252.102 million, mobile handsets import grew to $616.148 million in July-Dec 2019-20 comparing with their import of $364.046 million in July-Dec 2018-19.

Cellular phones import in Dec 2019 stood at 98.13 percent or $58.287 million to $117.682 million from $59.395 million in Dec 2018.

However, import of other apparatuses scaled down by 22 percent or $63.372 million to $228.509 in July-Dec 2019-20 from $291.881 million in July-Dec 2018-19. Import of other apparatuses reduced to $44.213 million in Dec 2019 from $50.611 million in Dec 2018.