ISLAMABAD ( BMZ REPORT )
A delegation led by senior official of Haier Groups of companies called on Minister of State for IT&Telecom Ms. Anusha Rahman to discuss the viability of mobile manufacturing units in Pakistan,here in Islamabad today. Federal Secretary IT Mr. Azmat Ali Rangha was also present in the meeting.
Haier officials, apprised the Minister regarding their market experiences since 2001, when they first entered in Pakistan market and started producing air conditioners and other brands of home appliances and within the fourteen years, Haier Pakistan has maintained the higher market share being the second highest brand in the country. And now we have realized that after acquiring next generation 3G/4G services, Pakistan has become lucrative market for Smartphone manufacturing. Therefore Haier is keenly interested to establish a Smartphone manufacturing plant in Pakistan. The delegates further said that we don’t want to import mobile phones but our focus is the on the transfer of technology in the country so that we could manufacture our own products here.
The Minister appreciated their endeavor by stating that Pakistan has become a land of opportunities especially in IT& Telecom sector after 3G/4G. Our Government is religiously pursuing the agenda of “accelerated digitization”. After 3G/4G, local mobile manufacturing has become our priority agenda which we want to materialize as early as possible. Moreover with highly increasing number of Smartphone users, there is an ample room available for investment in this area.
She also informed the delegates regarding special incentives being offered including tax relaxations which have already been announced in the recent budget to promote “local manufacturing in Pakistan”.
Anusha Rahman further stated that Pakistan has educated and skilled young labor force, which will surely make the “local manufacturing endeavor as a cost effective phenomenon.
She concluded while commenting that our nearly 200 million population with high growth rate of mobile industry indicates a huge requirement for “local manufacturing units in the country.