Imports of mobile phones totaling $102 million were reported in the first two months (July-August) of the current fiscal year 2022-22, a 64.38 percent decrease from the previous year’s total of $285.947 million.
Mobile phone imports increased by 62.51 percent month on month (MoM) in August 2022, reaching $63.060 million from $38.804 million in July 2022, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
Other apparatus imports remained at $67.574 million in July-August 2022, a 16.68% decrease from $81.104 million in the previous fiscal year.
Negative growth of 8.06 percent when compared to $41.848 million in August 2021 and 32.24 percent when compared to $29.0097 million in July 2022.
According to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, during the first seven months of 2022 (January-July), local manufacturing firms produced/assembled 14.94 million phone handsets, compared to 1.16 million imported commercially (PTA).
Local manufacturing plants produced/assembled 0.86 million mobile phone devices in July 2022.
Last month, in the midst of a disastrous foreign exchange crisis, the government relaxed a ban on all imports of mobile phones, luxury goods, and non-essential commodities.
The Ministry of Commerce issued SRO 1562(I)/2022 to ease restrictions on luxury and non-essential commodities such as automobiles, mobile phones, and household appliances.
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