Local mobile phone manufacturing in Pakistan is booming. Between January and August 2026, local mobile phone assembly plants manufactured a massive 18.66 million mobile handsets. In contrast, commercial imports stood at only 2.74 million units.
This massive shift highlights a growing reliance on domestic production. According to the official data, the 18.66 million locally assembled units include about 8 million smartphones and approximately 11 million 2G phones. Furthermore, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) data shows that smartphones now make up 71% of all active mobile devices on the local network. Meanwhile, 2G phones hold the remaining 29% share.
However, 5G handset production saw a sharp decline. Pakistan assembled 134,501 5G-enabled mobile handsets during August 2026. Previously, the country assembled 553,079 5G handsets during the same month in 2025. Looking back at the entire 2025 calendar year, local plants produced 30.21 million handsets, compared to just 2.37 million commercial imports.
Mobile Phone Imports Plunge As Local Mobile Assembly Improves
As local production thrives, mobile phone imports are naturally dropping. During the first two months of the current fiscal year (July-August 2026), mobile phone imports declined by 8.85%. The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported that the total import value fell to $274.129 million, down from $300.741 million in the same period last year.
In Pakistani Rupees, this translates to a 10.53% decrease. Import values dropped to PKR 76.267 billion during July-August 2026, compared to PKR 85.245 billion in 2025.
Moreover, August 2026 alone saw a significant 13.82% year-on-year decline. Mobile imports fell to $133.695 million from $155.129 million in August 2025. Month-on-month, the numbers also slipped. Imports dropped by 4.80% in August 2026 compared to $140.434 million in July 2026.
Telecom Infrastructure Investment Grows
Despite the drop in handset imports, the demand for telecom infrastructure remains robust. Imports of telecom equipment increased by 8.95% during July-August 2026. This category reached $432.044 million, up from $395.536 million in the previous year. In Rupee terms, telecom equipment imports rose by 6.95% to PKR 120.211 billion.
This continuous growth stems directly from heavy investments in Pakistan’s telecom infrastructure. Network expansions and aggressive preparations for next-generation mobile services are driving this demand.
Nevertheless, August 2026 experienced a slight dip in equipment imports. On a year-on-year basis, telecom equipment imports declined by 3.42% to $197.269 million. Additionally, month-on-month imports fell 15.98% from the $234.775 million recorded in July 2026.
Here is the complete breakdown of the mobile phone and telecom equipment imports data:
| Category | Timeframe | Value | Trend |
| Mobile Phone Imports | July-August 2026 | $274.129 Million PKR 76.267 Billion |
-8.85% (YoY) |
| Mobile Phone Imports | August 2026 | $133.695 Million | -13.82% (YoY) |
| Telecom Equipment Imports | July-August 2026 | $432.044 Million PKR 120.211 Billion |
+8.95% (YoY) |
| Telecom Equipment Imports | August 2026 | $197.269 Million | -3.42% (YoY) |
