The process of providing smartphones to customers on easy installments will be initiated soon, said Caretaker Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Dr Umar Saif on Thursday.
A policy directive will be issued to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) by the IT Ministry in the coming days, he said.
The development came during a high-level meeting of the IT ministry with officials of PTA, cellular operators and GSMA, read a statement released by the Ministry of IT.
Dr Saif said the process of consultation with all stakeholders has been almost completed and in light of their suggestions, policy directives will be issued as a first step.
“Cellular operators, banks, investment companies, are interested in providing smartphones on installments, but a mechanism is much-needed under which these organizations do not incur losses and this facility can also reach the people,” he said.
The IT minister believed that smartphones on easy installments will improve demand, which would benefit the mobile phone manufacturing industry and the country’s economy.
Dealing with defaulters
As for those who default on their installment payments, the interim minister said their mobile phones will be blocked in a way that they cannot be used anywhere.
A proposal to block their National Identity Card (NIC) is also in the works.