18.6 million mobile phones manufactured in Pakistan in 8 months

Local mobile phone assembly in Pakistan continued at a significant pace during the first eight months of 2026. During this period, 18.66 million mobile phones were manufactured locally, while 2.74 million phones were imported on a commercial basis.

The locally manufactured phones comprised approximately 8 million smartphones and nearly 11 million 2G mobile phones. The data indicates that local assembly units continue to play a pivotal role in meeting the country's demand for mobile devices.

Decline in Mobile Phone Imports

During July and August 2026, the value of commercial mobile phone imports recorded a year-on-year decline of 8.85 percent, settling at $274.13 million. Consequently, the value of mobile phones imported from abroad decreased during this period.

In contrast, an increase was observed in the import of telecom equipment. Imports of telecom equipment rose by 8.95 percent to reach $432.04 million during July and August.

Investment in Telecom Infrastructure

The rise in telecom equipment imports is being attributed to the expansion and improvement of network infrastructure across the country. Activities to enhance network capacity and upgrade existing systems are underway as preparations for next-generation mobile services progress.

According to data from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, smartphones account for approximately 71 percent of active devices on the country's mobile networks, highlighting the growing importance of smartphones among mobile users. Marked Difference Between Local Production and Imports

Recent data reveals a significant disparity between local mobile phone assembly and commercial imports. While the volume of commercially imported handsets remained relatively low, local assembly plants manufactured millions of devices, thereby helping to meet the demands of the domestic market.

Robust local mobile phone production and rising imports of telecommunications equipment reflect the ongoing activity within the country's mobile and telecommunications sector.