Pakistan has reportedly blocked nearly 100 million illegal mobile phones during the fiscal year 2024–25 as part of ongoing efforts to control the grey market and strengthen regulatory enforcement in the telecom sector.
According to a policy report, the large-scale blocking action is aimed at curbing the circulation of smuggled and unregistered devices across the country. Authorities have intensified monitoring under the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) Device Identification, Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS), which is designed to identify and restrict unauthorized mobile phones.
The report further highlights that high taxation on imported smartphones has unintentionally contributed to the growth of the grey market. Many consumers reportedly opt for smuggled or illegally patched devices to avoid increased official prices and duties.
A significant number of blocked devices are said to include cloned or duplicate IMEI phones, which bypass registration systems and create security and tracking concerns for regulators.
Experts suggest that while enforcement measures are becoming stricter, addressing underlying issues such as taxation policies and affordability may also be necessary to reduce demand for illegal devices.
The government continues to strengthen digital monitoring systems to ensure compliance and improve transparency in the mobile device market.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is based on publicly available reports.
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