According to official documents, local physical SIM manufacturers may set up eSIM management platforms and sell eSIM products to CMOs via “Platform as a Service.”
Pakistan intends to begin local manufacturing of SIM cards and smart cards in order to protect the country from cyberattacks, create job opportunities, and save valuable foreign exchange.
According to official documents, local physical SIM manufacturers may set up eSIM management platforms and sell eSIM products to cellular mobile operators (CMOs) via “Platform as a Service.”
Digital transformation and the creation of an enabling ecosystem are two of the key objectives of the government of Pakistan, and in the era of digital services, SIMs and smart cards assume pivotal importance. The local manufacturing of SIMs will massively benefit the economy, as millions of SIMs are currently imported.
According to the documents, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) fully supports the required roles of performing authorization, complying with regulations, and adopting SIM card manufacturing in the telecom sector.
Local SIM and smart card manufacturing has already established itself as a key sector in many national economies, contributing significantly to long-term economic growth.
From a business standpoint, it will benefit the economy by creating job opportunities, generating tax revenue, and conserving valuable foreign exchange. Furthermore, it will provide another practical dimension for academia in terms of research and development.
With the advancement of SIM technology, manufacturers around the world have created new SIM variants such as embedded SIM (eSIM), soft SIM, and integrated SIM (iSIM), among others. All of these options are viable alternatives to a physical SIM card. As a result, local physical SIM manufacturers could set up eSIM management platforms and sell eSIM products to CMOs.
Local manufacturing of SIM cards and smart cards can help Pakistan protect itself from cyberattacks by allowing for better control over the supply chain and reducing the risk of vulnerabilities being introduced through imported products.
It can also create job opportunities by supporting the development of a domestic manufacturing industry, and it can help save valuable foreign exchange by reducing the need to import these products.