ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has reported that it blocked nearly 100 million mobile devices during the financial year 2024-25, according to its annual report. The blocked devices included 868,000 lost or stolen handsets, 72 million fake or replica devices, and 27 million devices with duplicated or cloned IMEIs.
The PTA highlighted its role in strengthening the Mobile Device Management (MDM) ecosystem through the Device Identification Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS). This initiative has significantly reduced the influx of counterfeit and non-compliant devices, while enhancing consumer protection, formalizing the mobile device market, and contributing to government revenues.
The report also noted that the MDM Regulations, 2021, which built on the DIRBS framework, helped establish a localized mobile device assembly and manufacturing sector in Pakistan. By 2025, more than 95% of mobile devices used on Pakistani networks were locally manufactured, including 68% of smartphones.
The PTA described this as a major shift towards import substitution and industrial self-reliance, with 36 manufacturing authorizations granted to local and international companies, including Samsung, Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo.
Additionally, the PTA reported over Rs. 83 billion collected through individual-category mobile device registrations since 2019, further strengthening fiscal contributions. The authority emphasized that the reinforced local manufacturing base has improved economic resilience and positioned Pakistan as a potential participant in the regional mobile phone value chain, with continued enforcement through DIRBS contributing to a more secure and self-sustaining digital ecosystem.
