ISLAMABAD: The imports of mobile phone into the country increased by 6.77 percent to $497.192 million in first eight months (July-February) of current fiscal year as compared to $465.649 million during same period of last year.
According to latest data released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), the imports fell on year-on-year basis by 12.63 percent from $73.156 million in February 2015 to $63.915 million in February 2016.
Likewise, on month-on-month basis, the mobile import posted a growth of 9.8 percent as it was recorded at $58.213 million in January 2016. The overall telecom import during first eight months of current year fell by 3.84 percent from $97.193 million last year to $96.362 million during the period of current fiscal year.
On year-on-year and month-on-month basis the telecom import increased from $115.443 million in February 2015 and $104.761 million in January 2016 to $125.995 million in February 2016, thus showing an increase of 9.14 percent and 20.27 percent respectively.
According to a senior official at Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, the manufacturing and assembling of mobile handset units at a local level is expected to start from April this year.
The government had announced tax incentive package for manufacturing of mobile phones in budget 2015-16 and these were income tax exemption for five years, zero percent depreciation allowance for plants, machinery and production line equipment used for manufacturing of mobile phones certified by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) in first year.
