STAFF REPORT ISB: Pakistan has decided to indigenous manufacturing of cellphones and smartphones as mobile phones penetration stands at around 75 per cent in Pakistan.


With a population growth getting close to 200 million in Pakistan itself, there is a huge market for these new, hand held sets.


The demand of handy cell phones and smart phones is equally strong both in urban as well as rural areas, like far away Gilgit-Baltistan on the Chinese border in the north and Chaman in the south, bordering Iran.


“Foreign investors, who are seeking investment in the telecom sector are likely to get big incentives,” sources in the Ministry of Finance said.


They include prospective investors, particularly from UAE, Saudi Arabia, and ASEAN. Some of these investors propose to join hands with Chinese companies which have reputed and cost-effective technology and trained manpower.


Their plans are to make Pakistan as the production base to feed the Pakistan-Central Asia-Iran, and Middle Eastern and African markets for telecom and cellular products.


Beside China, which was a big suppler of mobile phones through official-channels imports and trade, thousand more of the smart phones, and the rest of these telecom products are smuggled duty-free into Pakistan every week.


“The decision has been made by the Ministry of IT and Telecom,” said Minister of State Anusha Rehman while talking to media.


“As soon as our domestic manufacturing starts, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharifs government would fulfill one more promise to provide cheaper products to people, expand local manufacturing and ensure more jobs to Pakistanis,” she also said.

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