Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman Major General (R) Hafeez Ur Rehman has stated that the current tax burden on mobile phones in Pakistan is excessively high, emphasizing that it has made smartphones less affordable for a large segment of the population.
He called for a reduction in taxes to improve access to digital technology and encourage greater smartphone adoption across the country.
Clarifying the PTA’s role, the chairman explained that the authority does not impose taxes or duties on mobile devices.
Instead, its responsibility is limited to managing the Device Identification, Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS), which ensures that legally imported and locally manufactured mobile phones are properly registered and compliant with national regulations.
Highlighting the growth of Pakistan’s local manufacturing sector, Hafeez Ur Rehman noted that the PTA has licensed 37 local mobile phone manufacturers.
As a result, approximately 26 million mobile phones are now assembled within the country each year, while imported devices account for only around 8% of the market. He said this reflects the significant progress made in developing Pakistan’s domestic mobile manufacturing industry.
Officials also stressed the importance of attracting more international smartphone brands to establish local assembly operations in Pakistan. They suggested that companies such as Apple could follow the example of manufacturers like Samsung and Nokia, which have already introduced local assembly through partnerships.
Expanding local production, they said, would help reduce costs, create employment opportunities, strengthen the country’s manufacturing sector, and make smartphones more accessible to consumers while supporting Pakistan’s broader digital transformation goals.
