Huawei targets penetration, but manufacturing in Pakistan still a distant dream

Country head says technological difference main issue behind hindrance

LAHORE: Huawei Pakistan country head Blueking Wang has said that while his company is achieving greater success, it will be a long time before manufacturing facilities can be established in the country.

Blueking said the issue is mostly due to a technological difference with government policy and lack of quality raw material further hindering the company’s plan of setting up shop in the market.

“This is not a Pakistan-China friendship issue; this is an issue of technological difference,” he told a group of journalists.



“We cannot put numbers in our minds while considering Pakistan as a manufacturing hub for Huawei mobiles. It depends on many other factors like government policies, lack of quality raw materials used in manufacturing handsets, quality assurances among others.”

He said his company is targeting to surpass Samsung’s market share in Pakistan, adding that it could happen as early as this year.

“Pakistan is a fast emerging market for us, especially since we expect surpassing the 20% share by June this year. We also hope on becoming the leading smartphone brand in Pakistan by 2018 end,” said the country head.

“The technology adoption ratio by Pakistani consumers is way above our expectations. It won’t be long before Huawei surpasses its competitor in Pakistan.”



The company is selling around 1 million handsets in Pakistan and is looking to increase its penetration, especially in the wake of 5G technology. “Pakistan is among those countries where prospects of 5G technology are higher,” he said, adding that Huawei is looking to fully capitalise this opportunity by launching 5G-enabled handsets in Pakistan this year or by 2019.



The company’s market share in Pakistan for the first quarter of 2017 was 11%, which in the first quarter of 2018 increased to 16%.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20^th, 2018.

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