Pakistan’s mobile phone import bill reached Rs530.49 billion during fiscal year 2025 to 2026, registering a 27.24 percent increase compared to Rs416.94 billion recorded in the previous fiscal year. The latest figures reflect sustained consumer demand for smartphones despite continued efforts to expand domestic manufacturing under Government of Pakistan’s Mobile Device Manufacturing Policy. While local assembly has grown significantly over recent years, imported smartphones continue to account for a substantial share of the market, particularly in premium device categories. The increase in imports also highlights the growing importance of smartphones in supporting digital connectivity, mobile internet usage and digital services across the country.
According to the latest import figures, Pakistan imported mobile phones worth Rs39.45 billion during June 2026, representing an 11.73 percent increase compared to Rs35.31 billion recorded in May 2026. On a yearly basis, June imports were also slightly higher than the Rs39.04 billion imported during June 2025, reflecting an annual increase of 1.07 percent for the month. Overall, the country’s annual import bill increased by Rs113.55 billion during FY2026. The continued rise in smartphone imports indicates that consumer demand remains strong as more individuals adopt smartphones for communication, online education, digital banking, ecommerce, entertainment and remote work. Higher smartphone penetration also supports broader digital transformation by enabling greater access to mobile internet services and digital platforms.
The increase in imports also presents an economic challenge as mobile phone purchases contribute to Pakistan’s overall import expenditure and foreign exchange outflows. At a time when the country continues to manage its external account under ongoing economic reforms, reducing dependence on imported consumer electronics remains an important policy objective. Government initiatives promoting local manufacturing are intended to increase domestic production capacity while lowering the need for imported devices. According to the Economic Survey, Pakistan had locally assembled approximately 161.6 million mobile phones by March 2026, demonstrating continued growth in domestic manufacturing capabilities. However, the rising import bill indicates that local assembly has not yet fully replaced imported smartphones, particularly in premium and upper mid range segments where consumers continue to prefer internationally manufactured devices with advanced specifications and features.
The latest figures illustrate both the opportunities and challenges facing Pakistan’s mobile industry. Expanding smartphone adoption supports the country’s digital economy by increasing access to digital payments, online services, cloud based applications and information technology driven economic activity. At the same time, the continued demand for imported devices underscores the need to strengthen local manufacturing capabilities across a broader range of smartphone categories. As domestic assembly continues to expand, industry stakeholders will likely focus on increasing production quality, introducing higher specification devices and strengthening supply chains to reduce reliance on imports. Achieving greater balance between growing consumer demand and domestic production will remain important for supporting Pakistan’s telecommunications sector while limiting pressure on the country’s import bill and foreign exchange reserves.
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