STAFF REPORT KHI:Ahead of next generation technologies auction expected to start in coming April, legal mobile phone import is on the decline in this fiscal year that can affect anticipated 3G/4G penetration in Pakistan.
The telecom sectors import declined by 25.88 per cent to $715.50 million in July to January of the current fiscal year as compared to $965.27 million in the same period of last financial year.
According to the latest figures released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), however, the mobile handsets import alone, increased by 8.12 per cent to $374.73 million in the first seven months of FY14 as against the import value of $346.58 million in the corresponding period of last fiscal.
The major factor in this dwindling import figures were according to PBS huge drop in import of telecom groups other mobile accessories and apparatus that contracted by 44.92 percent in the first seven months of FY14 to $340.76 million as against $618.69 million in the same period of last fiscal year.
Experts are of the view that additional duties on import of mobile phone handsets are causing increase in illegal mobile phone import, which would not be a good omen for the telecom industry.