Islamabad: Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan has invited Samsung to expand its investment in Pakistan’s mobile phone manufacturing sector and establish certified refurbishment facilities in the country.
During a meeting with a Samsung Pakistan delegation, the minister said Pakistan could become a regional hub for mobile phone manufacturing, refurbishment and exports. He encouraged the company to use Pakistan as a base to export locally manufactured smartphones to emerging markets, particularly in Africa.
Khan said the government would facilitate investment aimed at increasing exports, local value addition and industrial development. He also welcomed Samsung’s proposal to establish certified mobile phone refurbishment facilities, saying the initiative could create jobs, develop technical expertise and open new export opportunities.
The Samsung delegation briefed the minister on the company’s local assembly operations and raised concerns over changes in the taxation structure and the narrowing tariff differential between Semi Knocked Down (SKD) and Completely Built Unit (CBU) mobile phones.
The delegation also called for measures to discourage commercial imports of used mobile phones, arguing that they undermine local manufacturing. It proposed replacing such imports with certified refurbished devices produced through authorised refurbishment facilities established by original equipment manufacturers in Pakistan.
The minister said future policy should focus on genuine manufacturing, higher local value addition, technology transfer and export growth. He said industry concerns over taxation would be examined within the broader fiscal framework, while any incentives should be linked to investment, localisation, exports and value addition.
Khan directed the industry to submit detailed proposals on certified refurbishment, export potential, investment commitments and international best practices to support the formulation of a revised Mobile Device Manufacturing Policy. He said any decision on commercial imports of used mobile phones should be evidence-based and phased, with certified locally refurbished alternatives available to consumers.
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