(Daily Point) — A recent disclosure from a federal government report has unveiled Dubai as the primary air route frequently utilized for smuggling mobile phones into Pakistan.
ProPakistani reported that this illegal activity is rampant through various airports, particularly in Peshawar, Sialkot, Faisalabad, and Karachi. Additionally, porters, children, and petty smugglers, known as Laghris, are exploiting border crossings such as Angoor Adda and Chaman for mobile smuggling.
An estimated 1,500 Laghris cross the Friendship Gate at the Chaman border daily, with each individual carrying one or two mobile phones into Pakistan. The Prime Minister’s Secretariat has instructed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and other relevant departments to conduct fact-finding inquiries involving more than 80 officials. Allegations suggest their involvement with 46 smugglers and 92 dealers engaged in manipulating mobile phones.
This organized mobile smuggling operation reportedly receives support from various Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) officials. The Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) states that mobile phone smuggling has caused a staggering $1.1 billion loss to the national exchequer in the fiscal year 2021-22.
The rapid increase in Pakistan’s teledensity, reaching 80% in 2023, is attributed to substantial foreign direct investment in the telecom sector. The heightened demand for cellular phones, totaling 36 million, is met through various channels, including 21.94 million local manufacturing, 1.53 million imports, and 12.53 million through smuggling.
Import taxes and the greenback’s unprecedented appreciation have contributed to the smuggling of expensive phones. The price difference between legally imported and smuggled smartphones provides smugglers with leverage to offer devices in local markets at comparatively lower rates, causing significant financial losses to the national exchequer.
The PM secretary’s inquiry identifies Dubai as the central air route for mobile smuggling, particularly through airports in Peshawar, Sialkot, Faisalabad, and Karachi. The smuggling methods also extend to border crossings like Angoor Adda and Chaman, with Laghris carrying mobile phones across the Chaman border.
Mobile dealers and shopkeepers employ various methods to make smuggled phones usable in Pakistan, including replacing IMEI numbers and using models of popular brands like Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and OnePlus for patching non-PTA-approved phones.
To address these concerns, the PM Secretariat recommends implementing a rotational policy for LEA officials at entry and exit points to prevent intimate associations with mobile smugglers. Additionally, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is urged to take action against www.cpidserver.com, a platform facilitating IMEI changes for smuggled phones on a global scale.
