Key Takeaways
- Pakistan Customs has clarified that overall mobile phone import volumes remained stable in FY2025-26.
- The majority of imported phones are CKD and SKD kits, with only a small portion being finished smartphones.
- Imports of finished iPhones and Pixel devices increased significantly due to consumer demand.
Pakistan Customs has issued a statement addressing recent media reports that suggested a significant surge in the import of finished mobile phones. The clarification comes amid ongoing discussions about the impact of imports on local manufacturing policies.
According to official figures, Pakistan imported approximately 32 million mobile phones during fiscal year 2025-26, compared to around 33 million units in the previous fiscal year. This indicates that overall import volumes have remained largely stable despite media claims of a substantial increase.
The total value of mobile phone imports increased from Rs. 427 billion to approximately Rs. 520 billion during this period. However, Customs noted that nearly four-fifths of the total import value consisted of Completely Knocked Down (CKD) and Semi Knocked Down (SKD) kits imported by registered manufacturers for local assembly.
Only about Rs. 100 billion represented finished smartphones imported in their entirety. Industry feedback suggests that this increase primarily comprised new and used Apple iPhones and Google Pixel devices, which are not manufactured locally. Customs stated that the rise reflected consumer demand for these brands rather than a shift away from Pakistan’s local manufacturing policy.
The authority also highlighted that imports of finished smartphones increased significantly, from around 0.29 million units in FY2024-25 to approximately 1.04 million units in FY2025-26. This increase was attributed to consumer demand for brands not available through domestic assembly.
Pakistan Customs noted that the rise in finished smartphone imports has made official commercial imports more attractive due to lower tax costs. Commercially imported iPhones are subject to duties and taxes of about Rs. 150,000, compared with around Rs. 190,000 for devices registered against a passport and roughly Rs. 210,000 for those registered through a CNIC.
The total duties and taxes collected on mobile phone imports rose to approximately Rs. 121 billion in FY2025-26 from Rs. 89 billion the previous year, marking an increase of more than 36 percent. Customs attributed this higher revenue to stronger anti-smuggling enforcement, improved customs clearance procedures, and closer coordination with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on device registration.
In conclusion, while there has been a notable rise in finished smartphone imports, overall import volumes have remained stable. The increase is primarily driven by consumer demand for specific brands not available through local assembly.
