ISLAMABAD – First smartphone assembled by the South Korean tech giant in Pakistan was unveiled on Wednesday as PTI government’s mobile manufacturing policy continues to bear fruit.
In his remarks at the launch of the smartphone by Samsung made at its Port Qasim plant under a joint venture with Lucky Group, Energy Minister Hammad Azhar said around 70 percent of smartphones were assembled in Pakistan, after a year of introducing of mobile manufacturing policy.
Samsung & Lucky Group launched the first locally manufactured mobile phone under Samsung's brand in Pakistan! 🇵🇰 #PakistanMovingForward pic.twitter.com/EU1OyjEhqO
— PTI (@PTIofficial) January 26, 2022
He added that the Samsung’s launch was a result of the success of Device Identification Registration & Blocking System (DIRBS) system launched three years ago.
3 years after launching DIRBS & a year after we launched Mobile Manufacturing Policy, 70% of smart phones are now assembled in Pakistan.
Samsung has also unveiled its first locally assembled smartphone. The next step is exporting these phones InshAllah. @PTAofficialpk @Pak_MoIP— Hammad Azhar (@Hammad_Azhar) January 26, 2022
The minister spearheaded the policy and major agreements for expediting mobile manufacturing in Pakistan.
The government now aims at exporting the locally assembled smartphones to other countries.
He also informed that Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had collected over Rs135 billion in taxes under DIRBS.
Last year in August, PTA issued MDM authorization to Lucky Motor Corporation Limited for manufacturing of Samsung brand mobile devices.
The company had applied for authorization to setup mobile device manufacturing plant in Karachi, Pakistan where it will manufacture Samsung brand mobile devices, PTA said in a press release.
The authorization to manufacture Samsung Mobile devices in Pakistan is a landmark achievement and will further revolutionize the vibrant mobile manufacturing ecosystem in the country by ensuring presence of major local and foreign players in the market.
This is possible only due to the conducive policies of the Government of Pakistan in its “Digital Pakistan” endeavor.
PTA has so far issued MDM authorizations to 25 foreign and local companies for the production of mobile devices (2G/3G/4G) locally.
Mobile devices manufactured by these companies shall not only be sold in the country but will also be exported to other competitive markets of the region and beyond.
The device manufacturing plants shall be instrumental in creating new job opportunities as well as enabling affordability of mobile devices for Pakistani users.
Samsung, Lucky Motor sign agreement
Last month, Samsung has entered into an agreement with Lucky Motor Corporation Limited (LMC), a subsidiary of Lucky Cement Limited, to assembly its smartphones in Pakistan.
A letter which was sent to the Pakistan Stock Exchange by Pakistan-based firm said that the company has “recently entered into an agreement with Samsung Gulf Electronics Co., FZE (Samsung) for producing Samsung branded Mobile Devices in Pakistan”.
It said that the LMC has also “initiated the process of seeking necessary regulatory approvals to carry on the said business and in this endeavor, has filed an application with Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) for securing the license”.
The production facility for producing Samsung Mobile Devices will be located at LMC’s existing plant facility producing vehicles at Bin Qasim Industrial Park, Special Economic Zone, Port Qasim in Karachi.
The production facility is anticipated to be completed by end of December 2021.
Read more: https://pakobserver.net/asim-hails-pact-for-samsung-mobile-phones-manufacturing-in-pakistan/
