Telecom sector is one of the growing phenomena in Pakistan; in the recent years imports related to telecom sector especially mobile phones are reached at their highest level compare to previous years consecutively. In the current fiscal year 2011-12 round 23.89 percent increased has been seen compare to previous fiscal 2010-2011 according to the statistics of State Bank of Pakistan.
According to the statistics, it depicts the true story of import of telecom sector reached the amount of US$1.268 billion during June-July 2011-12 compare the imports of US$ 1.023 billion recorded during 2012-11. According to bureau of statistics the overall imports of mobile phones have been increased by 31.63%, if we compare the amount in US dollar is 522.825$ to 688.170$ million in the current fiscal year. The trend of telecom products to imports is continuously increasing by every new coming year.
Particularly during the month of June 201, the telecom imports increased by 13.04% as compared to the imports of June 2011 while decreased by 20.43 percent when compared to the imports of May 2011.
In June, the mobile phone imports were recorded at US$ 56.176 million against the imports of US$ 44.714 in June 2011 and US$ 63.237 in May 2011 and in June 2012, the imports of other telecom apparatus decreased by 0.76% and 30.48% as compared to the imports of June 2011 and May 2012.
Of course this will badly impact the balance of payment problem and trade deficit and ultimately lead to adverse economic condition of our country where we are already suffering from high inflation rate.
Government of Pakistan should take initiative to bring foreign investor to invest i telecom products locally.
