LAHORE – Pakistan’s mobile phone import bill declined by nearly 9 per cent during the first two months of fiscal year 2026-27, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
The country imported mobile phones worth $274.129 million in July and August, down from $300.741 million during the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year.
The decline amounted to nearly $27 million, or 8.85pc, year-on-year.
The import bill also fell in rupee terms. Mobile phone imports stood at Rs. 76.267 billion during the first two months of the fiscal year, compared with Rs. 85.245 billion a year earlier, marking a decline of 10.53pc.
August imports decline
Mobile phone imports stood at $133.6 million in August, according to the PBS data.
The figure was 13.8pc lower than the $155.129 million recorded in August 2025. It also represented a 4.8pc decline from the $140.434 million imported in July 2026.
The month-on-month decline came despite continued demand for mobile devices in the domestic market.
Telecom equipment imports rise
The trend was different for telecom equipment, with imports increasing during the first two months of the fiscal year.
Telecom equipment imports rose 8.95pc to $432.044 million in July and August, from $395.536 million during the same period last year.
In rupee terms, telecom equipment imports increased 6.95pc to Rs. 120.211 billion, compared with Rs. 112.398 billion a year earlier.
The increase comes amid continued investment in telecommunications infrastructure, including network expansion and preparations for next-generation mobile services.
However, telecom equipment imports also slowed in August.
Imports fell to $197.269 million during the month, down 3.42pc from $204.263 million in August 2025. The figure was also 15.98pc lower than the $234.775 million recorded in July 2026.
The contrasting trends in mobile phone and telecom equipment imports indicate a decline in spending on imported handsets alongside continued investment in the country’s telecommunications infrastructure.
