PTA Blocks 826,000 Stolen Phones, 55 Million Fake Devices

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has taken strict action by blocking 826,000 stolen mobile phones reported through the Device Identification Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS). Additionally, 55 million fake or replica devices have been blacklisted to prevent their use on local networks.

Rise in Local Manufacturing

Since 2019, 136 million handsets have been manufactured or assembled in Pakistan, with 37% being smartphones. The local mobile industry has shown steady growth:

• 2019: 11.74 million units
• 2020: 13.05 million units (11% growth)
• 2021: 24.66 million units (89% growth)
• 2022: 21.94 million units
• 2023: 21.28 million units
• 2024: 31.38 million units (47% growth)
• First 5 months of 2025: 12.05 million units

“Over 94% of the market demand is now fulfilled through local manufacturing,” a PTA report confirmed, reducing reliance on imported phones. Commercial imports have sharply fallen—from 16.28 million in 2019 to just 0.76 million units in the first five months of 2025.

Boost to Economy & Employment

The growing industry has helped establish 36 mobile manufacturing facilities and created 60,000 jobs. Moreover, the Government of Pakistan has received Rs. 83.04 billion in taxes under the individual import category between Jan 2019 and June 2025.

Increased Industry Participation

In 2024, 59% of smartphones were manufactured by Mobile Device Manufacturers (MDMs), showing rising private sector investment in domestic production.

Let me know if you want tags or headlines for this article too!