ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to meet Apple CEO John Ternus during his upcoming visit to the United States, with discussions likely to focus on starting the manufacturing or assembly of Apple smartphones in Pakistan.
According to a report, the issue was discussed during a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology, where the Engineering Development Board’s chief executive officer said the government was making efforts to bring Apple’s manufacturing operations to Pakistan.
He said the prime minister would meet Apple’s CEO during his US visit to discuss the possibility of producing or assembling iPhones in Pakistan.
The official said 37 companies are currently manufacturing mobile phones in Pakistan, with more than 35 million handsets produced so far.
The standing committee chairman welcomed the growth of local mobile phone production but stressed the need to further increase domestic manufacturing.
He said locally produced phones should be affordable and meet quality standards, adding that Pakistan now needed 4G and 5G-enabled devices instead of 3G phones.
The committee chairman said the country’s vision should be “Smartphone for All.”
According to the IT secretary, around 200 million people in Pakistan currently use mobile phones.
The committee chairman also highlighted the issue of mobile phone theft in Karachi, saying residents frequently have their phones snatched and are consequently forced to purchase replacements.
