A recent report from Pakistan Bureau of Statistics shows that mobile phone imports in Pakistan have increased by 5.11%, during the first eleven months of current fiscal year (2015-16) as compared to the same period last year.
The total imports of mobile phones costed around $687.249 million, while they were $653.813 million last year.
However the overall telecom imports witnessed a decline of 0.66% as compared to last year. Other telecom apparatus import also witnessed a decline of 6.84%.
Due to the rapid expansion of 3G & 4G network in Pakistan, smartphones import is on the rise, it is expected that in the next year smartphones will cross 55% of total mobile imports.
Government has recently increased the rates of sales tax on mobile phones. Which can cause a decline in mobile import through proper channels and grey import will increase. Federal Board of Revenue already reported that last year, Pakistan’s economy suffered a loss of $1.1 billion due to smuggling of mobile phones.
