Hong Kong-based smartphone company becomes first to start manufacturing in Pakistan

A Hong Kong-based smartphone manufacturer, Infinix, has become the first smartphone company to start manufacturing in Pakistan. Prior to this, only a certain amount of mobile phones were being assembled within the country, including Xiaomi Mi phones.

“Fully aligning with the country’s initiative of ‘Make in Pakistan’, the company keeps growing its investment to contribute and help transform Pakistan into a regional tech hub. This is just one step further towards our mission and commitment to putting Pakistan on the road to progress and prosperity,” Infinix Pakistan said in a statement on Friday.

Located in Pakistan, the Chinese smartphone brand’s manufacturing facility helps prevent the unnecessary worry of coronavirus and the inaccessibility of the newest Infinix products. With the launch of the facility, the company also fulfils its aim of playing its role in empowering the local labour, particularly women, as 60pc of the workforce working in the Infinix Pakistan factory comprised of women.

The manufacturing vicinity was also visited by Chinese Consul General Li Bijian, who applauded Infinix’s contribution in promoting local employment in the country.

Talking about their company mission, Infinix Pakistan CEO Joe Hu said, “Infinix’s vision as a company is to enrich our customers’ experiences, whether it is through our products, or what goes in their manufacturing. To be able to play a small part in the empowerment of the labour force in Pakistan, particularly women, is an important step further towards our mission.”

Infinix’s products in Pakistan are priced from approximately Rs11,000 to Rs40,000.

The development comes as the government finalises the Mobile Device Manufacturing Policy with the theme ‘Make in Pakistan’ under which regulatory duty (RD) on the local assembly of smartphones (Android) will be reduced from the existing five per cent to zero.

Within the next two to three years’ time, 40 per cent localisation in manufacturing will be attained, meaning that the charger manufacturing, casing of the phones and its packing would be done locally and with the passage of time 100 per cent manufacturing of android mobile phones will be done.

Local device manufacturing activity is projected to create 200,000 direct and indirect jobs in the country alongside the development of an efficient manufacturing ecosystem and linking Pakistan to the global supply chain.