ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s local mobile phone manufacturing and assembly declined 12 percent year-on-year in June 2026, reflecting weakening domestic production even as handset imports surged sharply ahead of the federal budget.
According to the latest Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) data, local manufacturers assembled 1.93 million mobile phones in June 2026, down from 2.19 million units in the same month last year. Production also fell 4 percent month-on-month, indicating a slowdown in the domestic handset industry.
In contrast, mobile phone imports jumped to 0.64 million units in June, compared to just 0.10 million units a year earlier, marking a 540 percent year-on-year increase and doubling from the previous month. Market analysts attributed the spike to pre-budget buying and the launch of AIRLINK’s Apple mono store.
Despite the monthly decline, Pakistan assembled 13.10 million mobile phones during the first half of calendar year 2026, down 8 percent from 14.24 million units in the corresponding period of 2025.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026