Page 99 - SAMENA Trends - September-October 2022

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Digital Investment Boost for Key Pakistan Cities

Pakistani e-commerce platform Daraz this
week launched the country’s first automat-
ed smart distribution centers in Karachi and
Lahore in collaboration with Cainiao Net-
work, the logistics arm of China’s Alibaba
Group, the first such set-up in South Asia.
Equipped with innovative smart technolo-
gies such as an automatic assembly line
and a smart distribution set-up, the centers
are the most technologically advanced lo-
gistics facilities in South Asia, and mark
Cainiao’s first deeply integrated distribution
center network in the region. The two facili-
ties span more than 50,000 sq m each, and
have capacity to process 428,400 orders
daily. Cainiao has so far built hundreds of frastructure and policy as well,” Ding said. smart distribution centers, sorting capacity
automated distribution centers of varying “We constantly innovate our operations and would increase manifold and manual errors
scales in China, and 10 smart distribution technology in Pakistan to continue scaling would go down by more than 90 percent.
hubs across Europe, Asia and America. Dr. and enhancing our customer experience,” “This will benefit the entire business chain
Ding Hongwei, general manager of Cainiao Bjarke Mikkelsen, CEO and founder of Da- and improve the customer experience,”
Technology, said Pakistan had been se- raz Group, said at the launch ceremony ear- said Ahmed Tanveer, chief operating officer
lected as the first location in South Asia to lier this week. “Daraz is introducing smart of Daraz Pakistan. Pakistan’s e-commerce
set up smart distribution centers because technology in the country to bring more market is projected to generate $7.6 billion
of the potential of its digital sector. “Our efficiency in our logistics,” said the CEO. in revenue in 2022. The market volume is
great confidence in the investment in Pa- “Launching our centers in Karachi and La- projected to grow by $9.1 billion by 2025,
kistan comes from its significant growth hore is a key step of this partnership, and according to Statista, a Germany-based
and high potential of the digital sector, and we look forward to growing it in future.” provider of market and consumer data.
strong support from local government in in- Daraz officials said with the launch of the

Pakistan Imports Cell Phones Worth US$102 Million in July, August

Pakistan imported mobile phones worth of last fiscal year. However, on a YoY basis, lion phone handsets during the first seven
$101.864 million during the first two the overall telecom registered a negative months (January-July) of 2022 compared
months (July-August) of the current fiscal growth of 51.311 per cent and remained to 1.16 million imported commercially, says
year 2022-22, and registered a negative $101.537 when compared to $208.558 mil- the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority
growth of 64.38 per cent when compared lion in July-August 2021-22. On MoM basis (PTA). The local manufacturing plants have
to $285.947 million during the same period overall telecom imports registered 49.54 manufactured/ assembled 0.86 million
of the last year. Pakistan Bureau of Statis- per cent growth and remained $101.537 mobile phones handsets in July 2022. The
tics (PBS)’s data shows that on a month- million in August 2022 when compared to manufactured/assembled mobile phones
on-month (MoM) basis mobile phone im- $67.901 million during July 2022. Other handsets by local manufacturing plants
ports registered 62.51 per cent growth and apparatus imports remained at $67.574 during the calendar year 2021 stood at
remained $63.060 million in August 2022 million in July-August 2022 and registered 24.66 million compared to 13.05 million in
when compared to $38.804 million in July 16.68 per cent negative growth when com- 2020, i.e., 88 per cent increase. The com-
2022. Mobile phone imports registered pared to $81.104 million during the same mercial imports of mobile phones handsets
62.16 per cent negative growth on a year-on- period of last fiscal year. On a year-on-year stood at 10.26 million in 2021 compared to
year basis in August 2022 when compared basis other apparatus remained $38.477 24.51 million in 2020, revealed the official
to $166.710 million during the same month million in August 2022 and registered 8.06 data of the PTA. The locally-manufactured/
of last year. The overall telecom imports per cent negative growth when compared assembled 14.94 million mobile phones
into the country remained $169.438 million to $41.848 million in August 2021 and handsets include 8.6 million 2G and 6.33
during the first two months of the current registered 32.24 per cent on a MoM ba- million smartphones. Further as per the
fiscal year 2022-23 and registered 53.84 sis when compared to $29.0097 million in PTA data, 54 per cent mobile devices are
per cent negative growth when compared July 2022 The local manufacturing plants smartphones and 46 per cent 2G on Paki-
to $367.051 million during the same period have manufactured/ assembled 14.94 mil- stan network.

99 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2022