ISLAMABAD (APP) - The sale of Chinese made mobile sets has increased in Pakistan with its growing popularity among the middle and lower-class customers, proving to be a nightmare for the business of other famous brands with their low price, advance technology and multiple features. The second copy of branded cellphones has entered the domestic market along with its unique feature of dual SIMs system, which has attracted a lot of customers. According to a dealer at Aabpara Market, the Chinese handsets of different brands are available from Rs1500 to Rs12,000 depending on variety and quality. The number of Chinese brands is more than 50, which are usually imported but there are some 15 brands that have captured the local markets. He said no doubt Chinese made handsets are cheap and have numerous features but at the same time thousands of sets with the same serial number or IMEI were also being imported that has posed a serious security problem. One must know every cellphone has its own unique 15-digit IMEI used to identify an individual mobile station to a GSM network. The IMEI number is a useful tool to stop a phone that is stolen from accessing a network and being used. It easily identifies a mobile phone being used on a GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) network. It was found that the lack of unique IMEI numbers has made it impossible to detect the suspected calls from a specific handset. Another dealer, Ahmed Kamal said the middle class customers are attracted by the handsets, which cost between Rs2,000 and Rs10,000 and have features of branded mobile sets costing Rs 20,000 to Rs40,000. Initially, some Chinese brands were short-lived and equipped with poor battery, which retained the sale of branded mobile sets in the local markets. However, the dealers gradually started importing good quality gadgets from the same country that lead to a staggering spike in the sales, he added. An owner of a mobile phone outlet at Blue Area Islamabad said sharp mega pixel camera and improved memory capacity have also added its popularity among the customers who can purchase these handsets easily. The one-year warranty offered on more than Rs 5,000 handset has also increased its reliability among the customers, he added. A retailer, Karim Khan said the mobile sets appeals to the masses who cannot buy Rs 30,000 original brand of iPhone but they can afford Chinese made iPhone in just Rs 6,000 to Rs 10,000 only with one year warranty. He said the sales of Chinese brands has remained more or less the same despite after-effects of economic slow down. The indigenous gurus of handset repairing have also learned the art to reinstall different software, which is facilitating a number of Chinese made customers in major cities of the country. NH&MP kicks off drive against 'dozing while driving ISRAR AHMED RAWALPINDI - In order to save lives of the road users, National Highway and Motorway Police (NH&MP) is going to launch a campaign against dozing while driving from today (Monday). NH&MP N-5 North Zone DIG Shahid Yar Khan said this while talking to media men here on Sunday. He said that dozing while driving was one of the major causes of accidents resulting in loss of precious lives and property. In the said campaign, the drivers will be made aware of the danger in dozing while driving. They would be briefed that in case they felt like dozing while driving, they should stop their vehicle at suitable place along the road to take some rest, wash their faces and take tea/coffee to avoid doziness, he added. DIG Shahid Yar Khan said that the owners of the transport companies would be urged to arrange co-drivers in public transport services to deal with such situation. NH&MP N-5 would make all possible measures to save the lives and property of the road users, he stated. A number of Chinese made different mobile phone accessories of lowest cost have also dominated in the local markets. In the last fiscal year, the handset imports witnessed decline as compared with its previous year. By the end of first quarter of the current fiscal year, it further witnessed a 28 percent decline. Overall $ 60.461 million worth mobile sets have been imported in Jul-Sep 2009 as compared with $83.83 million in the same period a year ago. However, officials of other brands said that mobile phone handsets had maintained their own specific markets in brand conscious customers and the sales are improving considerably in the domestic markets. They said the demand of handsets has declined in the lower- and middle-class customers since the government had imposed duties on its imports. Apart from this, cellular phone companies have also introduced their own branded sets but failed to attract customers, as they were lacking the major features, which are provided by Chinese handsets. In Pakistan, the users base has reached 95.54 million on the network of five cellular phone companies. The mobile phone subscribers have continued to increase every day across the country.