Pakistan’s mobile phone imports saw an extreme drop during the first quarter of fiscal year 2026-27. From July to September, the import bill dropped by 16.6% to settle at $417.24 million. Consequently, a slight monthly recovery in September could not reverse this broader quarterly decline. Furthermore, these latest figures reflect a substantial year-on-year contraction for the industry.
A Deep Dive into Pakistan’s Mobile Phone Imports
During September 2026, mobile phone imports reached $143.14 million. This figure marks a 7.1% month-on-month increase from August’s $133.66 million. However, imports remained exactly 28.2% lower than the $199.27 million recorded in September 2025.
In rupee terms, buyers spent Rs. 39.75 billion on mobile phone imports in September. This amount represents a 7% increase over the Rs. 37.17 billion spent in August. Nevertheless, the import bill still fell 29.2% from Rs. 56.17 billion in September 2025.
Overall, cumulative mobile phone imports during July-September 2026-27 stood at Rs. 116.01 billion. This total falls 18% short of the Rs. 141.42 billion spent during the same period last year. Meanwhile, in dollar terms, the total bill shrank from approximately $500.01 million to $417.24 million.
| Period | Value (USD) | Value (PKR) |
| Q1 (Jul-Sep 2026) | $417.24 Million | Rs. 116.01 Billion |
| September 2026 | $143.14 Million | Rs. 39.75 Billion |
| August 2026 | $133.66 Million | Rs. 37.17 Billion |
Overall Telecommunications Sector Performance
The broader telecommunications import bill includes mobile phones and other related apparatus. During September 2026, this total bill hit Rs. 61.12 billion ($220.08 million). In contrast, the sector recorded Rs. 54.77 billion ($196.95 million) in August.
Despite the monthly jump, these figures still represent a massive drop. Telecommunications imports declined 19.5% in rupee terms compared to September 2025. Similarly, they fell 18.3% in dollar terms from last year’s $269.29 million (Rs. 75.92 billion).
For the entire first quarter (July-September), total telecommunications imports reached Rs. 181.24 billion ($651.80 million). Last year, the same period saw imports worth Rs. 188.32 billion ($665.83 million). Therefore, the overall telecom import bill declined 3.8% in rupee terms and 2.1% in dollar terms.
| Metric | Q1 FY 2026-27 Value | Q1 FY 2025-26 Value |
| Total Telecom (USD) | $651.80 Million | $665.83 Million |
| Total Telecom (PKR) | Rs. 181.24 Billion | Rs. 188.32 Billion |
Other Telecom Equipment Shows Rapid Growth
While mobile phone imports dropped, other telecommunications apparatus presented a completely divergent trend. Importers brought in Rs. 21.37 billion ($76.94 million) worth of other equipment in September. This number rose sharply from August’s Rs. 17.60 billion ($63.29 million). As a result, this category recorded year-on-year increases of 8.2% in rupee terms and 9.9% in dollar terms.
Furthermore, first-quarter imports of other telecommunications apparatus surged massively. They reached Rs. 65.23 billion ($234.57 million) during the July-September period. Last year, this exact category only generated Rs. 46.90 billion ($165.82 million). Consequently, this marks a staggering 39.1% increase in rupee terms and a 41.5% jump in dollar terms.
Ultimately, these contrasting trends highlight a clear market shift. Lower mobile phone imports single-handedly drove the overall telecommunications decline. Conversely, imports of other telecommunications equipment recorded exceptionally strong growth.
