Pakistan: logistics and access
Domestic refining typically meets about 60% of Pakistan's diesel, 30% of motor gasoline and all jet fuel demand, so the rest arrives as imports through port terminals.
A Zone 1 / Zone 21 smartphone for crews on the gas fields of Sindh and Balochistan, the refineries at Karachi, Attock and Mahmood Kot, the LNG terminals at Port Qasim and the fertiliser plants. Port Qasim near Karachi handles about 35% of Pakistan's cargo, roughly 17 million tonnes a year, and with Karachi port carries almost 90% of external trade, so most imported equipment clears through these two ports. Distribution partners for Pakistan are being identified ahead of the Q4 2026 launch of the IS-04Z1.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Short answer. Pakistan has no appointed SAMS distributor yet: the IS-04Z1 is pre-launch (certification in progress, no certificate issued, launch planned for Q4 2026), and distributor applications are open.
For the record, no certificate exists for the IS-04Z1 today. The programme is under way ahead of a Q4 2026 launch. An operator's own vendor approval is a separate step. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Marking | II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4 on the rating plate | Design target; not yet marked |
| EU-type examination certificate | Notified body number and certificate ID | In progress with TÜV; not issued |
| IECEx certificate of conformity | Number listed on the IECEx online register | In progress; not issued |
| Where it applies | Pakistan: Port Qasim, Karachi, Korangi, Karachi, Hub, Balochistan | Classified by the site operator |

An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Pakistan. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
Operators and classified areas drawn from the SAMS Pakistan market guide.
Domestic refining typically meets about 60% of Pakistan's diesel, 30% of motor gasoline and all jet fuel demand, so the rest arrives as imports through port terminals.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, headquartered in Islamabad, regulates telecom systems and radio spectrum under the 1996 Telecommunication (Re-organization) Act, with zonal offices in Karachi, Lahore, Gwadar, Quetta, Peshawar and other cities.
Pakistan's first gas field was found near Sui in Balochistan in 1952, and the Sui area remains a name associated with the country's gas supply and upstream classified-area work.
Five main refineries have a combined capacity of about 450,000 barrels a day, producing diesel, motor gasoline, furnace oil, jet fuel, kerosene, LPG and naphtha, so product storage and loading areas are widespread.
ATEX is the European legal framework for equipment used in explosive atmospheres (Directive 2014/34/EU). IECEx is the international certification scheme built on the IEC 60079 standards. Buyers outside Europe often ask for both: an IECEx certificate is the technical evidence most national regimes build on, while ATEX is the legal route into the European market.
For the IS-04Z1 both routes are in progress with TÜV in Germany and neither certificate has been issued. The marking target is II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4: equipment Group II (surface industry), Category 2 (Zone 1 gas), protection concept ib (intrinsic safety), gas group IIC and temperature class T4.
In Pakistan. A Pakistani reviewer at OGDCL, a refinery or a fertiliser plant would expect an IECEx Certificate of Conformity, because operators and their international partners specify Ex equipment to IEC standards and that evidence is what reaches site. ATEX adds a route for contractors from Europe. Both are in progress, with PTA approval separate for the radio.
SAMS is appointing authorised distributors ahead of the Q4 2026 launch. No territory has been granted for Pakistan yet and applications are reviewed company by company. Because a certified Ex device cannot be opened by an ordinary phone workshop without invalidating its certificate, SAMS looks for partners who can provide competent technical support and after-sales service locally.
Not today. Until the certificates are issued the IS-04Z1 stays out of classified areas, and until launch there is nothing to purchase. You can ask for the datasheet and the certification schedule, or book a safe-area evaluation unit.
SAMS has not published a price. Any figure you are offered for an uncertified Ex phone should be treated with caution; written indicative pricing is available for a defined quantity and site.
Not yet. Both routes are in progress with TÜV in Germany and no certificate has been issued. Any listing that says otherwise is wrong.
The market guide for Pakistan covers Sui, Balochistan, Daharki and Ghotki, Sindh, Port Qasim, Karachi, Korangi, Karachi, among others. Site-level pages are linked below.
Apply through the distributor page with your company details and the territory you cover. SAMS reviews applications company by company and has not yet granted a territory for Pakistan.
Allow for import clearance, courier or freight time and any PTA rules for radio-equipped devices, then keep spare batteries and chargers on site. Large refineries typically run contractor induction before work, so agree device approval at the start of planning.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, set up in 1996, regulates telecom systems and spectrum, with zonal offices in cities including Karachi, Lahore and Quetta. Device import and approval rules change over time, so check current PTA requirements with your importer before shipping.
Summer ambients there can pass 45 degrees. The certified ambient range is stated on the certificate and will be published when issued, so check it against your site maximum before planning summer use. IP68 and a rugged build help with dust but do not extend the certified range.
Related guides for Pakistan and for Pakistan.
Tell us what you need to equip and where. The SAMS team answers by email with the datasheet and where each certification route stands.
Send the zone and gas group of your site and we will reply with the datasheet and schedule.