Pakistan Invites Samsung to Make Country Regional Smartphone Export Hub -

Pakistan has invited South Korean technology giant Samsung to use the country as a regional manufacturing and export base for smartphones, with Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan urging the company to expand exports of locally assembled devices to Africa and other emerging markets.

The proposal was made during a meeting between the commerce minister and a Samsung Pakistan delegation led by the company’s country head. Senior officials from the Ministry of Commerce also attended the meeting, which focused on strengthening Pakistan’s mobile phone manufacturing industry and enhancing its role in global supply chains.

Jam Kamal said Pakistan should move beyond meeting domestic demand and leverage its growing manufacturing capacity to become a competitive export hub. He encouraged Samsung to increase exports of Pakistan-made smartphones, saying the country has the potential to attract greater investment through value-added manufacturing and technology transfer.

The minister also welcomed Samsung’s proposal to establish certified mobile phone refurbishment facilities in Pakistan. He said a regulated refurbishment industry would help strengthen local manufacturing, create skilled jobs and open new export opportunities for professionally refurbished devices while providing consumers with quality-assured products backed by warranties.

The Samsung delegation briefed the minister on the progress of the local mobile phone manufacturing sector and the company’s investment in assembly operations. However, it expressed concern over recent changes in the taxation structure, particularly the reduced tariff difference between Semi Knocked Down (SKD) kits and Completely Built Units (CBUs), saying the move has weakened the competitiveness of locally manufactured phones. The delegation urged the government to maintain a reasonable tariff differential to encourage investment and support domestic production.

Samsung also raised concerns over the commercial import of used mobile phones, arguing that such imports undermine local manufacturing despite Pakistan’s adequate production capacity. The company proposed replacing used phone imports with a certified refurbishment system under which original equipment manufacturers would establish authorised refurbishment facilities in Pakistan.

Responding to the proposals, Jam Kamal said the government remains committed to promoting genuine manufacturing, localisation, export growth and technology transfer. He directed the industry to submit detailed recommendations on certified refurbishment, export potential, investment plans and international best practices for consideration in the revised Mobile Device Manufacturing Policy. He added that any future incentives would be linked to investment, value addition and exports, reaffirming the government’s commitment to developing Pakistan as a competitive manufacturing destination for global technology companies. – ERMD