Pakistan has locally manufactured and assembled 14.24 million mobile phones during the first half of 2025, while importing only 0.86 million units, reflecting a strong shift toward domestic production and growing self-reliance in the mobile phone sector. Gwadar Pro reported on Tuesday quoting the latest data released by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).

This trend has been gaining momentum since 2021, when local production, boosted significantly by Chinese companies establishing assembly plants in the country, first surpassed mobile phone imports. Of the 14.24 million locally produced units in the first six months of 2025, 7.63 million were second-generation (2G) GSM phones, commonly referred to as keypad phones, while the rest were smartphones.

Despite the increasing availability of smartphones, basic keypad devices remain in steady demand due to affordability and practicality. In response, manufacturers have enhanced feature phones with longer battery life, dual SIM support, LED flashlights, wireless FM radio, and limited internet connectivity, making them more relevant for cost-conscious consumers, especially in rural and semi-urban areas.

Until 2020, Pakistan was heavily dependent on imports to meet domestic mobile phone demand. That year, 24.51 million phones were imported compared to only 13.05 million locally produced. However, the introduction of a Mobile Manufacturing Policy in 2020 and subsequent Mobile Device Manufacturing (MDM) Regulations issued by PTA in 2021 led to a dramatic turnaround in the industry by incentivizing companies to establish local manufacturing and assembly facilities.

In 2021, Pakistan produced 24.66 million mobile phones locally, while imports dropped to 10.26 million. In 2022, local production stood at 21.94 million, with imports falling further to 1.53 million. The year 2023 saw 21.28 million phones produced locally and 1.58 million imported. In 2024, local manufacturing hit a record high of 31.38 million units, while imports declined to just 1.71 million.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP) — Pak-China