ISLAMABAD: The import of mobile phones surged 258.6 per cent in terms of units in FY26, resulting in higher customs duty collection, according to Pakistan Customs data released on Tuesday.

The detailed breakup of mobile phone imports was issued in response to widespread reports claiming that Pakistan spent Rs520 billion on mobile phone imports in FY26. The data distinguishes between imports of Completely Built Units (CBUs) and consignments of Completely Knocked Down (CKD) and Semi Knocked Down (SKD) kits during the fiscal year.

Within CBU imports, smartphone imports increased from about 0.29 million units in FY25 to 1.04 million units in FY26, an increase of 258.6pc, or around 750,000 additional units.

Pakistan Customs said industry feedback suggested that 60 to 70pc of the increase comprised new and used Apple iPhones and Google Pixel devices. As neither brand is assembled in Pakistan, the higher volume of officially imported handsets reflected genuine consumer demand for products unavailable through local assembly, rather than a shift away from domestically assembled devices or a reversal of the country’s assembly-based import policy.

Duty collection rises 36pc to Rs121bn in FY26

The move towards documented CBU imports was also driven by the lower cost of official commercial channels. A commercially imported iPhone attracts about Rs150,000 in duties and taxes compared with roughly Rs190,000 when imported and registered against a passport and around Rs210,000 when registered against a CNIC.

This duty differential has made commercial imports the more economical option for consumers, encouraging a shift from informal and passport or CNIC-based imports to fully documented, duty-paid commercial imports.

The trend is reflected in revenue collection. Duties and taxes collected on mobile phone imports increased to around Rs121 billion in FY26 from Rs89 billion in FY25, a rise of more than 36pc, exceeding the pace of growth in the import value.

Customs said duty collection on CBU smartphone imports alone more than doubled over the year, indicating that a larger share of the trade has moved into formal, tax-compliant channels at the expense of the grey market.

Further details showed Pakistan imported about 32 million mobile phones worth Rs520bn in FY26, compared with 33 million units in FY25.

Around Rs420bn, or four-fifths of the import value, comprised CKD and SKD kits imported by registered local assemblers for domestic production rather than finished handsets. Only about Rs100bn, less than one-fifth of the total, represented imports of finished CBU devices.

Published in Dawn, July 22nd, 2026