PTA Blocks Nearly 100 Million Mobile Devices in Massive Crackdown

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has taken aggressive action against illegal mobile handsets. In its annual report released today, the authority revealed that it blocked nearly 100 million mobile devices during the financial year 2024–25.

This massive crackdown targets counterfeit, cloned, and stolen devices. The PTA utilised its Device Identification Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS) to execute these blocks. Consequently, the authority has significantly formalised the mobile device market and enhanced consumer protection.

Breakdown of Blocked Devices by PTA

The PTA’s report provides detailed statistics on the types of devices removed from the network. The majority of these were fake or replica handsets.

Device Category	Number of Devices Blocked
Fake or Replica Devices	72 Million
Duplicated or Cloned IMEIs	27 Million
Lost or Stolen Handsets	868,000

DIRBS & Local Manufacturing Success

The PTA attributes this success to the Mobile Device Management (MDM) ecosystem. Specifically, the MDM Regulations, 2021, have played a transformative role. These regulations enabled the localisation of mobile assembly in Pakistan.

As a result, the local ecosystem has expanded rapidly. By 2025, over 95% of mobile devices used on Pakistani networks were manufactured locally. Furthermore, 68% of these locally made devices are smartphones. The PTA describes this as a major shift toward import substitution and industrial self-reliance.

Currently, 36 companies hold manufacturing authorisations. This list includes major international players like Samsung, Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo.

Economic Impact & Revenue

Beyond security, the crackdown has boosted government revenues. Since 2019, the national exchequer has collected over Rs. 83 billion through individual-category mobile device registrations.

The PTA states that this reinforced local manufacturing base improves economic resilience. Pakistan is now positioned as a potential participant in the regional mobile phone value chain. Continued enforcement through DIRBS ensures a secure, transparent, and self-sustaining digital ecosystem for the future.