Local Manufacturing Surges as Pakistan Blocks Millions of Stolen and Fake IMEI Mobile Phones

Pakistan has made remarkable progress in its mobile manufacturing sector over the last six years. According to a latest PTA report, over 136 million mobile handsets have been manufactured or assembled locally since 2019. Of these, 37% are smartphones. The growing local production has played a crucial role in meeting national demand and reducing illegal imports.

The report highlights that in 2024 alone, 31.38 million mobile phones were produced locally. In the first five months of 2025, this number has already reached 12.05 million. Meanwhile, commercial imports have significantly declined. In 2025 (Jan-May), only 760,000 mobile phones were imported commercially, down from 16.28 million in 2019.

This shift has reduced Pakistan’s dependency on imports. Currently, over 94% of the country’s mobile demand is met through local manufacturing. The industry now includes 36 device manufacturers and has created 60,000 jobs across Pakistan.

Alongside local production, PTA’s efforts to curb illegal and stolen mobile phones have intensified. Through its DIRBS system, the authority blocked 826,000 mobile devices reported as stolen. Furthermore, 55 million fake or replica devices were also identified and blocked, making a huge dent in the grey market.

The report adds that 59% of smartphone manufacturing in 2024 was handled by local Mobile Device Manufacturers (MDMs). This shows a maturing industry that is now moving toward higher-end production.

PTA’s regulatory efforts are also bringing significant revenues to the government. From January 2019 to June 2025, PKR 83.04 billion has been received under the individual import category alone.

The positive trend is also visible in the graph shared in the report. It shows how local manufacturing has grown steadily each year. In 2019, commercial imports stood at 16.28 million, while local production was at 11.74 million. By 2020, local production exceeded imports—24.51 million handsets were produced locally compared to 13.05 million imported.

This trend continued in the following years:

• 2021: 24.66 million local vs. 10.26 million imported
• 2022: 21.94 million local vs. 1.53 million imported
• 2023: 21.28 million local vs. 1.58 million imported
• 2024: 31.38 million local vs. 1.71 million imported

These numbers demonstrate the success of PTAs’ local manufacturing push and its impact on reducing reliance on imports. Strict regulatory actions against stolen and counterfeit phones further support this success.

The mobile industry in Pakistan is now not only serving local needs but is also creating employment, reducing import bills, and improving tax collection. With ongoing support and policy continuity, Pakistan is likely to become a regional manufacturing hub for mobile devices soon.

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