ISLAMABAD: The country has imported mobile phones worth Rs153.6 billion during the first half (July – December) 2020/2021 owing to rising demand for digital transactions in the wake of the covid pandemic.
The import of mobile phones increased by 59.44 percent during the first half of the current fiscal year.
The import of mobile phones during the first half of the current fiscal year was Rs153.6 billion as compared with Rs96.33 billion in the corresponding period of the last fiscal year, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
Market sources said that coronavirus pandemic had limited the physical movement, which had given rise to online transactions. Mobile phones have played a major role in promoting the digital economy.
Further, the implementation of laws making it mandatory that only verified mobiles through the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to be activated for local services has also discouraged informal channels for the import of mobile phones.
They said that the depreciation of the Pak Rupee had also an impact on the surge of mobile phone imports.
The import of mobile phones in terms of dollar grew by 52.37 percent to $939 million during the first half of the current fiscal year when compared with $616 million in the same half of the last fiscal year.
