Almas Haider, Chairman of the Engineering Development Board (EDB), stated that 97 percent of mobile phones used by Pakistanis are manufactured domestically. Mobile phones of all the brands except one are produced indigenously.
He made the statements while addressing an EDB workshop on alternative energy sources titled “Solar panel and allied equipment production policies.” EDB has secured a $1.25 million order for the export of the first batch of mobile phones. Also stated that EDB is working on the localization of solar panels.
Following, Murtaza Mehmood, stated on the occasion that the government is developing a comprehensive policy for the solar industry. Government buildings and agricultural tube wells will converted to solar energy under this proposal.
Moreover, Federal Minister remarked that at the national level there has been an assessment that Pakistan’s solar energy demand (off grid and on-grid) was around 4GW during 2022 . It is s likely to increase to around 6-7 GW in next two years.
“With this demand, there was an urgent need to look for opportunities for promoting and incentivizing local manufacturing of solar panels and allied equipment,” he added.
Pakistan could start the process of local production with assembly in the first phase, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has said. He said a 5-year plan needed to be put in place. It is to further rationalise the tax and tariff regimes to provide a level playing field to local manufacturers. Hence, the present government is looking to offer certain incentives such as:
- Tax holidays
- Duty-free import of input materials
- Plants and machinery to promote solarization in the country.
