Rs83 Billion Collected: PTA’s Role in Cleaning Up Pakistan’s Mobile Phone Market
In the current six years, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has collected over Rs 83 billion tax revenue through the mobile registration and blocked 100 million mobile devices. This shows how strong monitoring and regulation can make a real difference in both revenue collection and consumer protection.
According to government records, there was a total blockage of around 72 million devices within just the year FY 2024-25. These included about 868,000 lost or stolen mobile phones and nearly 27 million phones with fake or cloned IMEI numbers. Such actions helped prevent illegal devices from operating on Pakistani networks.
This is because there has been great progress, most of which can be attributed to the Device Identification, Registration, and Blocking System (DIRBS). The system was initiated in 2019, and with it, PTA is able to trace all mobile devices with their IMEI numbers. This has limited the use of fake mobile devices. Therefore, the use of fake mobile devices has greatly diminished.
PTA officials say that DIRBS not only improved market documentation but also increased government revenue by ensuring that proper taxes and duties are paid on imported and locally manufactured phones. With this initiative, the Mobile Device Manufacturing (MDM) Regulations 2021 became a factor that contributed to the deterrence of smuggled phones and the promotion of the local assembling and manufacturing of mobile phones. An important positive aspect of this strategy is the rise of the manufacture of mobile phones. By the year 2025, more than 95% of the mobile phones being utilized in Pakistan were domestically manufactured. In addition, more than 68% of the smartphones were also made locally.
According to PTA, it is their strong belief that the continuous implementation of DIRBS has now created a foundation for a safe, transparent, and autonomous digital environment. With improved device control, Pakistan is slowly but surely on their way to becoming a key player in the regional mobile phone value chain.
Why This Matters
For the customer, this translates into safer and improved-quality mobile phones. For the economy, increased taxation revenues, less smuggling, and an increased local industry are ensured. But in the coming future, if the grip continues, the telecom sector in Pakistan can develop in an organized manner.