Local mobile phone assembly down 57% MoM in August

Mettis Global reported that local mobile phone assembly in Pakistan fell 57% month on month in August 2026, to 1.66mn units. On a year-on-year basis, output was 14% lower than the 1.94mn units recorded in August 2025, according to Pakistan Telecommunication Authority data compiled by Topline Securities. The publisher attributed the sharp monthly drop to a high base, since July 2026 production had been lifted by strong demand after buyers deferred purchases ahead of the FY27 budget.

Eight-month local output fell 6% year on year to 18.66mn units, compared with 19.77mn units in the same period of 2025. Imports moved in the opposite direction, with August arrivals down 69% from a year earlier at 0.08mn units, while cumulative imports rose 112% to 2.74mn units. Total supply in August came to 1.74mn units, 21% below last year and 57% lower than July.

Domestic assembly covered 95% of the country's handset needs in August, against 97% in July, while the eight-month share is 87%. Among locally assembled brands, VGO Tel led the eight-month tally with 2.45mn units, ahead of Infinix at 1.96mn units and Itel at 1.56mn units.