On February 18, 2026, the Pakistani government announced a significant shift in its mobile phone import policy, imposing a 20% federal excise duty on completely built units (CBU) of new mobile phones, which previously had zero duty. This move aims to bolster local manufacturing and address competitive challenges stemming from the Pakistan-China Free Trade Agreement. Alongside this, a 10% customs duty will be introduced on notebooks, desktops, and tablets, with plans for the CKD duty to increase from 5% to 10% later. The government is also establishing a Rs56 billion technology investment fund to promote local manufacturing, with projections that refurbished mobile phone re-exports could generate between $300 million and $400 million annually. Hammad Mansoor, CEO of the Engineering Development Board (EDB), emphasized that this policy is a "milestone initiative" for Pakistan's industrial sector, aimed at attracting global companies like Apple and Samsung to set up manufacturing plants in the country. The framework for this policy is set to be submitted to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for approval, indicating a strong governmental push towards enhancing the electronics manufacturing sector in Pakistan.