PTA allows 19 companies to manufacture mobiles locally

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has allowed 19 foreign and local companies to manufacture mobiles locally, ARY NEWS reported on Tuesday.

Announcing the decision from its Twitter handle, the PTA said it has issued Mobile Device Manufacturing Authorizations to 19 foreign and local companies for the production of mobile devices (2G/3G/4G ) locally.

Press Release: PTA has issued Mobile Device Manufacturing Authorizations to 19 foreign and local companies for the production of mobile devices (2G/3G/4G ) locally. pic.twitter.com/zsAuGucdBb

— PTA (@PTAofficialpk) May 25, 2021

“Aimed at encouraging manufacturers to set up their plants in Pakistan, the Government has introduced a comprehensive and supportive Mobile Manufacturing Policy, subsequent to which PTA issued Mobile Device Manufacturing (MDM) Regulations in 2021,” the authority said.

It further added that these developments made way for the issuance of manufacturing authorizations, a major milestone in the journey towards “Digital Pakistan”.

On March 20, Federal Minister for Industries and Production Muhammad Hammad Azhar on Saturday announced that three more smartphone manufacturing plants will be set up in the country soon.

Hammad Azhar said that a smartphone manufacturing plant set up in Lahore will produce 6 million handsets annually.

The minister maintained that an increase in smartphones’ production will result in a decrease in the prices of smartphone handsets. He said that the government has taken steps to curb the smuggling of smartphones.