ISLAMABAD  - In a shocking disclosure on Monday, an unofficial data exposed that the import of handsets and telecom equipments valuing over $4.065 billion have seriously hampered the local industrial manufacturing in the sector of telecommunication.
The related data brings to light the alarmingly fact that the sale of imported handsets and telecom equipments increased in the country, as around $4.065 billion telecom equipment imported in five years, since 2009, to be specific, on a prolific note.
The data, informal and unofficial in its entirety, goes on to raise the eyebrows with some disclosures. It states there was a drastically slight decline in import during 2012-13, i.e., $918.4 million against $954.05 million in the previous year. The said data, it just appears, is not going to take a stop anytime sooner. Dropping another bombshell, it underlines a startling fact to disclose that during the prescribed period, the import of mobile handsets increased to $467.1 million from $465.3 million.
In an attempt to grab hold of the firsthand information evolving around this pertinent episode, this correspondent opted to get through the PTA but it so transpired that the telecommunication regulator was in a dormant mode as it did not happen to stand in knowledge of the issue.
The market boys, on the other hand, never appeared to stand shy of sharing the keenly needed information. They said Rs 1,000 per handset duty imposed by the government earlier this year on imports might not be helpful in reducing the demand for smart phones.
“It might encourage smuggling and sale of sub-standard handsets. In order to curtail the burden on import bill, there was a need to encourage private sector and multinationals for local manufacturing and assembly of handsets and telecom equipment,” said a marked guru regarded as a fatherly figure among the leading telecommunication trading giants.