Karachi: Local manufacturing and assembly of mobile phones in Pakistan experienced a 5% increase in December 2025 compared to the previous month, according to the latest data from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). However, year-on-year figures show a 12% decline, with 2.61 million units manufactured in December 2025 compared to 2.95 million units in the same month last year.

According to JS Global, the total number of locally manufactured or assembled mobile phones in 2025 was 30.21 million units, representing a 4% decrease from the previous year. This decline is primarily attributed to reduced consumer demand as global replacement cycles have extended to around 40 months. Of the units produced, 52% were smartphones, with the remainder being 2G phones.

Despite the decline in manufacturing, Pakistan managed to meet 93% of its mobile phone demand through local production in 2025. This is a significant increase from the five-year average of 77% and the nine-year average of 52%. Among the top locally assembled brands were Infinix, VGO Tel, and Vivo, with production figures of 3.65 million, 3.57 million, and 2.80 million units, respectively.

Looking ahead, the mobile phone market is expected to grow by 7-8% over the next year, bolstered by a stable Pakistani rupee, easing inflation, and improving consumer purchasing power. Companies like Airlink Communication and Lucky Cement are anticipated to benefit from this rising demand, particularly for their brands such as Tecno, Xiaomi, and Samsung, which are among the top 10 in local assembly rankings.