ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) blocked approximately 100 million mobile devices across the country during the fiscal year 2024-25 as part of its ongoing efforts to curb illegal usage and strengthen regulatory oversight.
The blocked mobile phones included around 868,000 lost or stolen handsets, nearly 72 million fake or replica devices, and about 27 million mobile phones carrying duplicate or cloned IMEI numbers. In its annual report, the PTA stated that the authority had played a revolutionary role in strengthening the mobile device management framework through the effective implementation of the Device Identification Registration and Blocking System (Dirbs).
According to the report, the system has led to a significant decline in the import and use of counterfeit and substandard mobile phones. As a result, consumer rights have improved, the mobile phone market has been formally documented, and contributions to the national treasury have increased substantially. The PTA noted that the Mobile Device Manufacturing Regulations 2021 provided a strong foundation for the growth of local assembling and manufacturing of mobile phones in Pakistan.
Following these regulatory measures, the sector expanded rapidly, and by 2025 more than 95 per cent of mobile phones operating on Pakistani networks were being manufactured locally, including 68 per cent smartphones. Since 2019, more than Rs83 billion has been deposited into the national treasury through the registration of mobile phones under the individual category.
