PTA Bans Sale of Xiaomi Smartphones In Pakistan

Lately we noticed that an unofficial Xiaomi Store (xiaomipk.com) was operating in Pakistan through a website — that looks almost like a replica of Xiaomi.com — and a Facebook Page with some following.

While we checked with the e-store and found that it was not the official outlet of Xiaomi and apparently someone was running it privately with some sort of connections with Mi International. Not to mention, the website has links to Xiaomi’s official website and that it was offering international warranty of the phones as well.

We also received confirmations from our readers receiving Xiaomi phones at almost official prices from the website in question.

Now, however, the website has been barred by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority to sell Xiaomi Phones.

Website has in-fact posted a message for customers telling them that PTA has asked them not to sell Xiaomi phones.

The website says:

We have stopped smartphone sales in Pakistan until further notice.

The Pakistani Concerned authority (PTA) through Mr Nauman Khalid “[email protected]” has demanded that XiaomiPK.com has to stop the sale/marketing of all Mi mobile devices.

This moment calls for public discussion, and we want our customers and people around the country to understand the monopoly of some brands in market.

So far no reason has been has been mentioned as to why XiaomiPK was asked to stop the sale. Website goes on to mention:

We have great respect for the authorities at the PTA, and we believe their intentions are good. But it is quite surprising that Pakistani customer’s right has been denied without any reason.

If they have any legitimate concern we are ready to address it but so far we haven’t got any rational reason.

Through sources we know that some vendors/distributors had applied to get NOC and type approvals from PTA for sale of Xiaomi smartphones in Pakistan, which was not entertained, reportedly because Xiaomi doesn’t operate in Pakistan through a physical office. And also that Xiaomi doesn’t want to register itself in Pakistan.

XiaomiPK, without the NOC, started selling Xiaomi smartphones in Pakistan on July 11th 2016, providing Mi smartphones, power banks and accessories at almost company prices with after-sale services and international warranty.

We couldn’t get any word from PTA on this, but as per the law any company willing to import and sell smartphones in Pakistan must register its business here in Pakistan and then apply for NOC and Type Approvals before selling the smartphones.

Moreover registered companies, that are liable to get NOC and types approvals, are also required to provide warranty and after sales services to consumers in Pakistan.

It would be interesting to note here that Xiaomi doesn’t have any plans to officially launch in Pakistan until 2018.

Also Read: Here is The Real Reason Behind PTA’s Ban On Xiaomi Phones in Pakistan


    • We can import phones personally. I have imported one recently and it is with customs. I have applied for NOC from PTA. After getting the NOC, I will contact DHL, pay the duties and get my phone released from customs.

      • You will never get NOC of Xiaomi phone from pta. Forget your phone and it will remain in custody of custom for life

        • bhai 2 copy baana lo yah bc hai PTA last year i paid 14k duty jurmna custom ka last me uski 2 copy bana ke kaam chla bc jan boj ke late dete ke apke uper custom lagti rahe harmi saale PTA wale

          • bhai custom ne demurrage parra ha aap ko, custom utna hi rehta demurrage (rent for the storage of your imports) barhta jata or us ma qusoor import karny waly ka hota k order karny sa pehly clearance ki requirements tayaar rakhy.

            • bhai clearance tab ho gi jab paper milege woh jab land hota hai apka tab courier company kehti jao iski NOC le kar ao nd jab phr PTA walo ko bolo to itne din jan boj ke lagte hai

              • bhai jab aap ko invoice or shipping bill (tracking number in case of courier company) mil jati tw aap procedure start karwa sakty jis k leay aap ko kici achy clearing agent sa consult karna parta. courier companies ko instruct kar sakty on basis of tracking number k meri shipment ka custom process ne start karwana i’ll use my own custom clearing agent. wasy bhi ek cheez jis ki non license holder ko ijazat ne import karny ki wo import kar rahy ho tw phir time lagny ki complain tw na karo. yan tw properly register ho k bulk ma import kar lo, ek 2 piece lena tw wahan sa aany waly sa kaho k aap k leay carry kar ly personal luggage ma.

      • Why would you go through all this for a phone like THAT? PTA wont be issuing any NOC for your phone anytime soon.

      • If a brand is banned..you cannot get NOC from PTA…Mr. Smarty Pants…use your common sense…

      • Dear Annus i also ordered redmi note 3 pro. it has separate imei no for both sims. let me know how i can get a noc. it with customs. did you got yours . . my email [email protected] please help

        • You will receive a letter from Pakistan Customs at your postal address. You will need to send these documents to PTA along with an application. You will receive the NOC within a week on your postal address. Then you will need to submit those documents, pay the duties and will get back your phone.

      • Dear Annus i also ordered redmi note 3 pro. it has separate imei no for both sims. let me know how i can get a noc. it with customs. did you got yours . . my email [email protected] please help

    • Xiaomi smartphones only are not allowed to be imported for even PERSONAL type approvals, so please don’t take risk importing it. Either ask some one living outside to bring it along or buy it yourself abroad.

  • PEMRA and PTA can not do any good thing to Pakistan and their citizens, we live in dark ages in Pakistan. They only can bring chaos n destruction to human rights and humanity.

    • There is something called rules and laws. Every country have these type of authorities to force laws. Don’t start bashing Pakistani institutions everytime. Yes we know there are problems in our institutions but here they did right. Not anyone can stand and start selling mobile phones like “Moongphali”. If they don’t want to launch their products officially….how someone can sell them in an unofficial way!

    • Bhai security threats hain is phone sy Pakistan ko. Pakistan k wajood ko khatra hai is phone sy malom nahi hai aap ko. Yeh Xiaomi py Ban jo hai yeh PTA ka Zarb e Azb hai actually..

        • XIAOMI phones have been alleged for stealing user’s data and sending it to Chinese servers.

        • such phones don’t comply with gsma standards that enable the govt. to recognize the user in case of illegal use. the trigger for most remote bomb attacks is a phone. even suicide bombs use such trigger and the bomber is merely a carrier.

  • And Now all idiots will start bashing PTA over this matter. Why dont they guys think that What is the reason Xiaomi is restricting itself to get register in Pakistan Unlike its fellow country companies like Huawei and Alcatel etc?? And Why it is selling its phones via black channels if Pakistan market doesn’t matter for them. DAAL MYN KUCH TOH KAALA HAI

    • Daal toh kali tub hogi, when the PTA gives an official reasoning for detaining xiaomi phones. Also please note this company is a private trader and they are personally importing the phone. Xiaomi itself is getting great response in China, then around the world because of its competitive pricing

      • Daal kaali aysay hai meri jaan ke xiaomi voilating GSMA rules by making dual sim phones with single imei, while all manufacturers around the world including chinese following GSMA rules. Can you ask Xiaomi why?

        • Care to prove with any example of a single imei. First do your research and then make a point “meri jaan”

        • So u want to say k dosray countries like India, US, Russia Europe wagaira ko apni security ki perwah nahi jo apnay country main Xiaomi ko allow kar rahe hain? Sirf PTA aur tumhain yeh raaz ki baat maloom hoi hai? Haina?

          • Aur countries myn hamari tarah blasts b nahin hotay meri jaan. Ban karnay wali authority myn saray bewaqoof nahib bythay na hi security agencies walon ne saath ganderiyan lagaai hui hyn. They kbow better than u n me

            • 1. Pakistan ma imported Xiaomi phones ka Imei different ha for both sims
              2. Agar Chinese version import ho rha hota tw it’d be certainly incompatible with either 3g or 4g bands of some networks here as China uses different bands altogether jinka hardware totally different hota but that is not the case.
              3. If you had enough awareness to discuss on this topic you’d know that OnePlusOne, Oppo, all launched here much later than other countries as Pakistan isn’t a market as big as you reckon.
              4. aap ka matlab k Pakistan ki security agencies western countries sa better hain? bhai aap ganderiyan laga hi lo.
              5. I’m not against PTA for making this decision and agree that Xiaomi must register and get non objection certificates before selling (which Xiaomi doesn’t seem to be interested in yet) but blaming Xiaomi for what its unofficial importers are doing isn’t right for you to just prove your point either.

              • Frequecies are just a matter of little bit change in firmware. My cousin brought samsung note 4 N910p, they changed its firmware to N910c and all networks are working fine here. Firmware change is a very common thing in china. And yes Our security agencies are more Capable than many countries. And I am not blaming Xiaomi for making specific type of sets. I am blaming those unofficial retailers who import chinese models here. And Xiaomi should get register here as Pakistan is atleast bigger market than Bangladesh. So why not here?

                • not change in firmware can compensate for missing hardware. 910c is missing hardware support for evdo and some other 2g and 3g frequencies. 910p has all 2g+3g+evdo and support but supports lte 800/900/2500 only on the other hand 910c supports lte 800/850/900/1800/2100/2600.

                  also why’d they reflash if they have created separate phones for export?

                  and why’d you flash an octa core chipset mali gpu firmware to a quad core qualcomm chipset? it is optimized for different hardware and may result poor performance and battery life.

                • and though we are a bigger market, a lot less people opt for phones other than samsung and qmobile compared to other countries due to resale mindset. the same reason mehran is still being sold to us and other automakers don’t enter our market.

  • The problem with majority of Xiaomi phones is that these are not following one of theg specs laid out by PTA which is that both Sim Slots should have a separate IMEI. Most of the Xiaomi phones use same IMEI for both the slots which is against the particular specs.
    PTA has previously asked the vendors to provide an alternative method of tracking such phones which unfortunately has not been provided (probably the vendors themselves don’t know any).
    So until Xiaomi does’t start providing dual IMEA configurations they probably wont be white listed officially. till dual imei is provided by xiaomi or the solution for the issue is provided,

  • Good going PTA. Ban all other good brands too. Leaving us with money sucking monopolies.

    • There are not any good brands in mobile phones. Its all about choices. No one is making a perfect phone.

  • “It would be interesting to note here that Xiaomi doesn’t have any plans to officially launch in Pakistan until 2018.”

    can we get some source on this ?!

      • oh … well , in THAT case

        i have a 4 lettered word all nice and prepped up of for that … might as well not say it here :D

        • Well, I don’t really care about Xiaomi anymore. There are many other “much better” companies out there. Xiaomi is cheap but I don’t want my phone to go boom boom on me.

          I would love if Lenovo decides to make Pakistan “Moto Friendly” again :)

          • hmm… lenovo are an interesting prospect but rather toothless atm ..

            i would like to know about the “much better companies” tho :D

            afaik , the exploding mi phones are a fad. one rare incident and the other guys prolly just did what was a nefarious scheme to get a replacement mi 5 in place of their old and scratched ones…

  • also , PTA is dope af … i’d rather trust a toddler’s judgment than any reasons given by these govt jackholes !

  • Lucky people who able to buy the phones from this website, the price they were giving was very competitive, evem accessories are way cheaper then cheezmall. I hope PTA lift up the ban. Sad day for Pakistan telecommunication

  • Ch nisar and co are using same tricks they used on hepatitis c tablet. Just shame on Pakistani politicians.

  • That one site is banned or the whole phone series is barred. It seems like another misleading title to me. I could be wrong though.

    • It confirms now that ch nisar is deliberately banning phones to help Samsung and others. PTA has blocked xiaomi on the orders of interior ministry. Not so strange when you hear ch nisar wasn’t allowing hepatitis c oral drug to be registered because he was selling those what he got on donations

  • PTA Zindabad. Pakistan Rules (for any brand) should follow by foreign companies. I Agree with PTA.

  • Lakhon used mobiles import ho rhy hain sahi ghalat har trha sy pr pata nahi Xiaomi k sath lagta hai Khepiyon ki bhe dushmani hai.. Koi tou jaey China aur ly aey Apny Bags main Container bhar k aur pohncha de Sadar ki Mobile Market. Khuda ka wasta hai :(

  • Xiaomi walo ko bhi chahiye k PTA ko jaib kharch de dia kren ta k PTA walo ki bhi daal roti chalti rahe aur Xiaomi wale bhi apna karobar krty rahen :-D

  • this is not good news
    It would be interesting to note here that Xiaomi doesn’t have any plans to officially launch in Pakistan until 2018


  • Get Alerts

    Follow ProPakistani to get latest news and updates.


    ProPakistani Community

    Join the groups below to get latest news and updates.



    >