Comments by Advisor on Commerce Razak Dawood have sent mixed messages to the consumers who have been very excited about the entry of Korean Mobile manufacturer to the country.
There had been speculations that Samsung is setting up a plant in Pakistan, and on Tuesday, as the meeting Senate Standing Committee on Commerce was held, there were different responses to the question of Samsungs arrival to Pakistan.
Pakistan’s leading business magazine Profit by Pakistan Today quoted Razak Dawood saying, “We contacted Samsung mobile company twice, but they declined.” Profit reported that responding to queries before the Senate Standing Committee on Commerce chaired by Senator Zeeshan Khanzada, the advisor made these comments.
However, leading national media outlet Dawn reported something else.
Dawn reported that upon inquiring about Samsung’s operations in the country, after the meeting, Mr. Dawood said that initially, Samsung had refused to come to Pakistan. “However, later Samsung changed its earlier decision and agreed to come to Pakistan. A joint venture with a local partner is on,” he added.
Business Recorder, another leading national publication reported something that made this into a piece of coherent news. It reported the advisor telling the committee that M/s Samsung was asked twice to set up a factory in Pakistan and the government would give incentives but they refused.
However, he added that when two Chinese companies set up their factories, Samsung approached the government for incentives, adding that now the company would have to set up its factory on already available incentives.
However, social media is still confused about this and some people have asked Samsung Pakistan to clear up the air around the issue.
@SamsungPakistan kindly explain offical stance
— سنڌي ووٹر (@cool_mind359) July 28, 2021
However, there seems to be a large consensus that it is coming to Pakistan. There was a Tweet by Minister for Energy Hammad Azhar that rung the bell in the first place on July 16th.
Samsung signed JV with Lucky Cement
Samsung had reportedly come to an agreement with Lucky Motors to produce and manufacture smartphones locally. This milestone has been achieved after the efforts made by the government to attract investors into the telecommunication market.
Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) has issued a notification on the 16th that confirmed the agreement between Lucky Motor Corporation Limited (LMC) and Samsung Gulf Electronics Co., FZE (‘Samsung’) for local assembly of phones in Pakistan.
Additionally, Hammad Azhar’s tweet was a confirmation.
I congratulate Lucky Group and Samsung on entering into a JV to manufacture smart phones in Pakistan.
These positive developments are evidence of the success of DIRBS system that eliminated smuggling of phones. And then followed up by Mobile Manufacturing policy last year. https://t.co/UCEsF0dKVq— Hammad Azhar (@Hammad_Azhar) July 16, 2021
Lucky Motors is a subsidiary of Lucky Cement Limited and is a big name in the business since they manufacture, assemble, market, distribute, and sell Kia and Peugeot branded vehicles, parts, and accessories in Pakistan.
The notice further added that the production and assembly of the Samsung smartphones will take place at LMC’s existing plant facility producing vehicles at Bin Qasim Industrial Park, Special Economic Zone, Port Qasim, Karachi.
This Joint Venture can be an affirmation that the mobile giant is actually coming to Pakistan, but the matter needs to be clarified by any of the stakeholders for the consumers.