Smartphone scheme faces opposition

Cabinet members and two telecom operators have opposed the scheme of providing smartphones to the public on easy instalments. The issue was taken up in a meeting of the cabinet held last month by the Ministry of Information Technology & Telecommunication, which proposed to issue a policy directive to encourage Cellular Mobile Operators (CMOs), as well as agencies working under agreement with CMOs, to provide smartphones to the public on easy instalments. The ministry’s proposal was discussed in detail. However, some cabinet members observed that issuing a policy directive for a commercial activity did not seem appropriate for the Cabinet. Cabinet members added that the proposed scheme might lead to an increase in the import of smartphones, and thereby also in the import bill of Pakistan, which had to be paid in foreign exchange. Cabinet members further pointed out that of the four CMOs in the country, only two companies had concurred with the draft policy, whereas the remaining had opposed the proposal.