By Hina Kiyani
ISLAMABAD: Since the implementation of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) Device Identification Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS), the import of mobile devices via legal channels has increased from 17.2 million in 2018 to 28.02 million in 2019 (63% increase). In 2020, 32.83 million devices have so far been imported.
PTA has blocked 175 thousand devices’ IMEI reported as stolen through DIRBS. The system has also identified and blocked 24.3 million fake/replica mobile devices and 657,645 IMEIs which were cloned/duplicated. The successful execution of the System has led to the establishment of 29 local assembly facilities. These facilities have produced over 20 million devices since 2019 with over 1.5 million 4G smart phones. The implementation of DIRBS has been the catalyst for local mobile devices manufacturing, providing level playing field to local manufacturers. It has also unleashed potential for placing Pakistan on the map of global mobile devices exporters.
Furthermore, through DIRBS, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has collected a total of PKR 90 Billion in custom duties during Jan 2019 to Nov 2020 on formal imports. This is PKR 68 billion more than custom duties collected in
2018 i.e. PKR 22billion (309% increase). Moreover, DIRBS has also enabled PKR 9 billion revenue collection under
individual category during the period from 15 January 2019 to 3 Dec 2020. Prior to DIRBS implementation, this was an untapped area and no revenue was being collected in the category.
