Govt imports 19.42pc more telecom products

RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: Pakistan imported 19.42 percent more telecom products to $535.645 million in July-Oct 2019, official figures indicate.

Increase in telecom imports now stands at $87.115 million in July-Oct 2019 comparing to their imports of $448.530 million in July-Oct 2018, according to Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. In Oct 2019 alone, the country made 34 percent or $73.309 million more telecom goods imports to $160.424 million from $119.989 million in Oct 2018.

Mobile phone import shot up to $387.705 million in July-Oct 2019 from $260.413 million in July-Oct 2018, showing an increase of 49 percent or $127.292 million. With 94 percent or $57.465 million rise, cellular handsets grew to $118.654 million in Oct 2019 from $61.189 million in Oct 2018.

Imports of other telecom apparatuses however plunged to $147.940 million in July-Oct 2019 from $188.117 million in July-Oct 2018, going down by 21 percent or $40.177 million. Slumping to $41.770 million in Oct 2019, the country’s imports of other telecom apparatuses were $58.800 million in Oct 2018, down by 29 percent or $17.03 million.