Smartphone Costs and Credit Barriers Keep Digital Access Out of Reach

High handset prices and hurdles to borrowing are keeping many Pakistanis offline even where mobile broadband is available, Profit by Pakistan Today reported. Pakistan Bureau of Statistics data show that personal phone ownership among those aged 10 and older is 50%, with a marked difference between men at 69% and women at 31%. GSMA estimated broadband coverage at about 80% of the population, but mobile internet use reached only 30% in 2024.

Domestic phone assembly fell about 7% to 21.08 million units in January, September 2026, while commercial imports climbed about 90% to 2.85 million. The article says financing is difficult for informal workers without conventional income records, and describes proposals from telecom operators, including PTCL/Ufone, to manage missed payments. The SBP’s draft Open Banking Regulations could let lenders assess applicants through consent-based financial data, while lower taxes on entry-level phones are also discussed as a way to ease costs.