PTA Blocks Stolen Phones and Bans 55 Million Counterfeits in Crackdown

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has blocked 826,000 stolen mobile devices reported through its Device Identification Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS). In addition, 55 million fake or replica phones have been identified and blocked, curbing the use of unauthorized and low-quality devices across local networks.

This development comes at a time when local smartphone manufacturing in Pakistan is witnessing unprecedented growth. Since 2019, the country has manufactured or assembled 136 million mobile handsets, with 37 percent of them being smartphones. The mobile production trend has shown consistent year-over-year growth, starting with 11.74 million locally assembled units in 2019. This rose to 13.05 million in 2020, showing an 11 percent increase, followed by a major jump to 24.66 million units in 2021, an 89 percent rise.

Although 2022 saw a slight dip to 21.94 million units and 2023 further dipped to 21.28 million, local smartphone manufacturing rebounded strongly in 2024 with 31.38 million units—marking a 47 percent increase from the previous year. In the first five months of 2025 alone, 12.05 million units have already been manufactured, highlighting the sector’s momentum.

Local Smartphone Manufacturing Fulfills 94% of Market Demand

PTA reports that over 94 percent of Pakistan’s mobile phone market demand is now being met through local smartphone manufacturing. This has drastically reduced dependence on imports, with commercial imports falling from 16.28 million units in 2019 to just 0.76 million units in the first five months of 2025.

The growth in local smartphone manufacturing has also positively impacted the economy. A total of 36 mobile manufacturing facilities have been established, creating 60,000 jobs nationwide. From January 2019 to June 2025, the Government of Pakistan collected Rs83.04 billion under the individual import category, according to PTA figures.

In 2024, 59 percent of smartphone manufacturing was carried out by Mobile Device Manufacturers (MDMs), showing increased private sector participation and investment in domestic infrastructure.

PTA’s crackdown on stolen and counterfeit phones, alongside the surge in local smartphone manufacturing, reflects Pakistan’s progress toward self-reliance in the mobile technology sector.