In the first nine months of 2024, Pakistan’s local mobile phone assembly industry produced 22.59 million units, with 13.86 million being smartphones and 8.73 million basic 2G devices. Despite economic challenges and rising interest rates that have weighed on the industry since 2022, production remains robust.
In addition to locally produced units, 1.1 million mobile phones were imported from January to September this year. Infinix led the market, producing 2.79 million units during this period, despite a broader industry decline since 2022.
According to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), local production stood at 24.66 million devices in 2021. By 2023, this figure had dropped by 13.71%, to 21.28 million, largely due to economic pressures. Commercial imports of smartphones also plummeted, dropping from 24.51 million in 2020 to just 1.58 million in 2023. The decline in imports has been driven by restrictions from the central bank aimed at managing the trade deficit and conserving foreign currency.
However, signs of recovery are emerging as the economy improves and the central bank cuts interest rates. With growing internet services across the country, the use of smartphones has surged, now accounting for 64% of all devices on the network, up from 59% in 2023 and 56% in 2022. Meanwhile, the share of 2G devices has fallen to 36%, down from 41% last year and 44% in 2022.
Despite the challenges, Pakistan’s mobile phone production remains a key part of the country’s manufacturing sector, and with economic conditions improving, further growthis anticipated.
