Pakistan’s mobile phone imports fell nearly 9 percent in the first two months of the new fiscal year, while demand for telecom equipment moved in the opposite direction.
According to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), mobile phone imports dropped 8.85 percent to $274.129 million in July and August 2026, from $300.741 million in the same period last year.
The decline was also visible in rupee terms. Imports stood at Rs76.267 billion during the period, down 10.53 percent from Rs85.245 billion a year earlier.
The fall in handset imports continued in August. Mobile phone imports dropped 13.82 percent year-on-year to $133.695 million, compared with $155.129 million in August 2025.
Imports also fell 4.80 percent from July, when the country imported mobile phones worth $140.434 million.
The weaker handset imports came even as telecom infrastructure continued to attract strong demand.
Telecom equipment imports rose 8.95 percent to $432.044 million during July-August 2026, compared with $395.536 million in the corresponding period last year. In rupee terms, imports increased 6.95 percent to Rs120.211 billion from Rs112.398 billion.
The higher demand for telecom equipment points to continued spending on network infrastructure and expansion as operators prepare for the rollout of newer mobile services.
However, the monthly trend was weaker in August. Telecom equipment imports fell 15.98 percent from $234.775 million in July to $197.269 million. They were also 3.42 percent lower than the $204.263 million recorded in August 2025.
The figures show that Pakistan’s telecom import bill is being shaped by two different trends. Spending on network and infrastructure equipment has remained higher than last year, while imports of mobile handsets have slowed during the opening months of the fiscal year.
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