The process of providing smartphones to customers on easy installments will be initiated soon, said Caretaker Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Dr Umar Saif on Thursday.

A policy directive will be issued to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) by the IT Ministry in the coming days, he said.

The development came during a high-level meeting of the IT ministry with officials of PTA, cellular operators and GSMA, read a statement released by the Ministry of IT.

Dr Saif said the process of consultation with all stakeholders has been almost completed and in light of their suggestions, policy directives will be issued as a first step.

“Cellular operators, banks, investment companies, are interested in providing smartphones on installments, but a mechanism is much-needed under which these organizations do not incur losses and this facility can also reach the people,” he said.

The IT minister believed that smartphones on easy installments will improve demand, which would benefit the mobile phone manufacturing industry and the country’s economy.

Dealing with defaulters

As for those who default on their installment payments, the interim minister said their mobile phones will be blocked in a way that they cannot be used anywhere.

A proposal to block their National Identity Card (NIC) is also in the works.

“The cellular company that provides the mobile phone may retain the right to block the SIMs of the defaulter. The legal issues will be reviewed and the final announcement will be made soon,” he said.

Meeting Rwandan parliamentary delegation

Dr Saif also met a parliamentary delegation from Rwanda, led by the country’s President of the Senate, Dr Kalinda Francois.

During the meeting, bilateral issues related to IT and mobile phone manufacturing in Pakistan were discussed.

The interim minister said that the Rwandan government has expressed keen interest in importing smartphones made in Pakistan.

“Soon the required issues will be discussed with the mobile manufacturers,” he said.

Dr Saif said that the government remains in talks with different countries to attract investment in Pakistan and increase exports of Pakistani products.

“African countries can become a major market for Pakistani smartphones,” he said.