PTA Blocks Nearly 100 Million Mobile Devices in FY2024–25, Strengthens Local Manufacturing Push

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) blocked nearly 100 million mobile devices during the financial year 2024–25 as part of its ongoing efforts to curb illegal, counterfeit, and non-compliant handsets, according to official documents reviewed by this publication.

The data shows that 868,000 mobile phones reported as lost or stolen were blocked during the period, while a significantly larger number, including 72 million counterfeit or replica devices, were removed from cellular networks nationwide. In addition, PTA blocked 27 million devices carrying duplicate or cloned IMEI numbers, marking one of the most extensive enforcement drives in the country’s digital regulatory history.

Officials attribute the large-scale action to the continued enforcement of the Device Identification, Registration, and Blocking System (DIRBS), which has strengthened mobile device management and improved consumer protection by restricting the use of unregistered and illegal devices.

Since the introduction of mandatory device registration in 2019, the federal government has collected over Rs83 billion in taxes from mobile phone registrations, the documents reveal, underscoring the fiscal impact of the system alongside its regulatory objectives.

The report also highlights significant progress in local mobile phone manufacturing and assembly following the implementation of the Mobile Device Manufacturing (MDM) Regulations, 2021. By 2025, more than 95 percent of mobile phones operating on Pakistani networks were locally manufactured or assembled, including 68 percent of smartphones, reflecting a major shift towards import substitution.

To date, PTA has issued 36 manufacturing authorizations to domestic and international companies, including globally recognized brands such as Samsung, Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo. Officials say the localization drive has helped formalize the mobile device market, reduce dependence on imports, and create a more transparent supply chain.

The authority maintains that strict enforcement under DIRBS has not only blocked illegal devices but also discouraged the inflow of substandard and counterfeit phones, contributing to a safer, more resilient, and self-sustaining digital ecosystem.

According to the documents, Pakistan is now positioned to become a regional player in the mobile phone value chain, with continued focus on regulation, compliance, and local manufacturing expected to further strengthen the sector.

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