Pakistan’s Ministry of IT and Telecom revealed it is planning to launch a payment plan scheme called ‘Smartphone for All’, to equip more citizens with smartphones and drive up the number of connected citizens.
Ary News reported, Caretaker Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Dr Umar Saif, posted on social channels the ministry is working to establish a research and development fund to support mobile phone manufacturing and facilitate the growth of the mobile phone sector in Pakistan.
Another objective of the ‘Smartphone for All’ programme is to promote financial responsibility. Those subscribed to the programme who fail to make their payments will have their devices blocked through the Device Identification, Registration, and Blocking System, enacted by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority.
The new policy will enable operators and vendors to directly sell smartphones through instalment plans, and deliver societal benefits from mobile connectivity, particularly among low-income individuals.
Pakistan is the seventh largest mobile phone market with 190 million devices in use, according to Minister Saif. He added the government has the overarching goal of reducing the reliance of importing mobile phones through domestic manufacturing.