Pakistan’s growing cost of living is pushing consumers to repair rather than replace electronics and household appliances, from phones and laptops to air-conditioners and washing machines. Technicians, workshop owners and spare-parts dealers are building a business on the principle that keeping old devices working makes better economic sense than buying new ones.
The repair economy is now overlapping with refurbishment, used-device trading and e-waste recycling. A 2026 study by 6Wresearch on Pakistan’s e-waste recycling market shows how devices can pass through multiple stages, from repair and parts replacement to refurbishment, resale and eventual recovery of remaining materials. Mobile phones get screens replaced and are returned to owners. Damaged handsets may be purchased by traders, refurbished with new components and resold. Spare parts from one device become useful for another.
Repair services have adapted to changing consumer behaviour, with many independent technicians operating from home-based setups and using social media and messaging platforms to receive complaints and provide doorstep services. The government has expressed interest in formalising this sector. Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan said Samsung proposed establishing certified mobile-phone refurbishment facilities in Pakistan, which could strengthen local industry, create employment and generate export opportunities.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination has warned that the country generates roughly 500,000 tonnes of e-waste annually, much of it handled through informal and unsafe channels. A more organised system connecting repair, refurbishment and recycling could allow consumers to hand over unwanted devices while keeping them in use longer and preventing premature waste accumulation.