ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): The federal government has issued a directive that restricts the import of used mobile phones to only a few allowed shipments within the Mobile and Electronic Devices Manufacturing Policy 2026–33.
The Engineering Development Board (EDB), working with domestic producers, took the lead in putting together this policy, which was done through a conference chaired by SAPM on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan.
The government will provide all the necessary infrastructure, technical support, and training needed for this industry to emerge and develop in Pakistan. The grant of the Mobile and Electronic Devices Manufacturing Policy will be based on local production of parts and assembly rather than imports in one go.
The ban on used mobile phones will definitely help the home-based producers, raise the number of jobs, and control quality over the whole sector. The rules for component assembly in the policy have been made clear, there are performance-linked penalties, and the plan for government-run testing laboratories to ensure international standards has been made.
Also, to minimize under-invoicing, both imported and locally manufactured phones might be put under the Third Schedule of sales tax. The authorities argued that the prohibition of imported used mobile phones is in line with the export-oriented growth strategy of Pakistan, which has been successfully modeled after countries like India and Vietnam.
The big brands worldwide have expressed their interest in the policy-backed investment. The officials pointed out that very strict monitoring and control measures will be undertaken, including the imposition of penalties and license suspension for offenders, and they also admitted that the ban on used mobile phone imports will not only stabilize but also energize the market for industrial growth in the long run.
