KarachiDealers now quote Rs40,000 for phones that cost Rs22,000.
Buyers are shifting to used and refurbished phones, and shopkeepers report sales falling sharply.
The Pakistan Mobile Phone Manufacturers Association says AI demand for memory chips has outrun production, raising prices.
The Karachi Electronics Dealers Association president says taxes have not risen significantly.
Consumers want Pakistan’s government to keep basic handsets affordable, but shopkeepers report shortages and swinging prices.
How each outlet framed it
- Dawn leans critical
- quantifies the budget-phone squeeze: a 4GB/64GB handset went from Rs20,000 to above Rs30,000, and blames chip costs over taxes
Sources: Dawn