PTA blocks 826,000 phones: Here’ why!

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has blocked 826,000 stolen mobile devices through the Device Identification Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS).

Additionally, 55 million counterfeit or counterfeit mobile phones have been identified and blocked to prevent the use of unauthorized and substandard devices on local networks.

A total of 136 million mobile handsets have been manufactured or assembled in Pakistan since 2019, including 37% smartphones. Local mobile manufacturing has shown consistent growth year-on-year. In 2019, 11.74 million devices were assembled locally. This increased to 13.05 million (11% increase) in 2020, then to 24.66 million (89% increase) in 2021. This trend continued in 2022 with 21.94 million devices, but declined slightly in 2023, producing 21.28 million units. In 2024, production reached 31.38 million devices, a 47% increase over the previous year. By the first five months of 2025, 12.05 million units had already been produced.

The report indicates that more than 94% of Pakistan’s mobile phone market demand is now being met through local manufacturing, significantly reducing reliance on imports. Commercial imports have declined from 16.28 million in 2019 to just 0.76 million units in the first five months of 2025.

The local manufacturing sector has also supported economic growth, with 36 manufacturing facilities established and 60,000 jobs created. In addition, the Government of Pakistan received Rs. According to PTA data, from January 2019 to June 2025, under individual import categories, Rs 83.04 billion.

In 2024, 59% of smartphone manufacturing in the country was done by mobile device manufacturers (MDMs), indicating an increase in industry participation and investment in domestic production infrastructure.