Pakistan exports 120,000 mobile phones to Middle East, Africa
Pakistan exported 120,000 mobile phone sets to various markets in the Middle East and Africa in the current month, but the local manufacturer expressed dissatisfaction over the quantum. Addressing a ceremony held at the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) headquarters to mark the achievement, Member (Finance) Muhammad Naveed and Member (Compliance & Enforcement) Dr Khawar Siddique Khokhar extended their support for the development of a mobile device manufacturing ecosystem in Pakistan. It was the second export consignment by the country’s only mobile phone exporter — Inovi Telecom Pvt Ltd — since it was granted a mobile device manufacturing licence in April 2021. The current order was received in October and the deliveries have been made in December to be sold in the Middle East as well as in the African markets. Inovi Telecom CEO Zeeshan Mian Noor, however, expressed concerns that the low quantum will not benefit the mobile manufacturing sector and regular export orders were essential for the growth of the industry. Quota restrictions for the import of raw materials were the key hurdle the manufacturers had been confronted with among other issues, he added.