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.
Pakistan · ATEX and IECEx
ATEX and IECEx Smartphone Distributor in Pakistan
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
Marking targetEx ib IIC T4Intrinsic safety, Zone 1 / 21 design target · certification in progress
AvailabilityQ4 2026via authorised distributors
Search topicATEX and IECEx
DeviceSmartphone
RouteDistribution
WherePakistan
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. Operator approval runs on its own timeline. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · ATEX and IECEx
Checklist: ATEX and IECEx smartphone for Pakistan
| 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 |
Product · Pakistan
The product behind this search: the SAMS IS-04Z1.
SAMS IS-04Z1
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.
- IP68 sealed
- 4,000 mAh battery
- 50 MP camera
- Android 16
- Zone 1 / Zone 21 design target
The market · Pakistan
Where an Ex phone is used in Pakistan
Operators and classified areas drawn from the SAMS Pakistan market guide.
Operators, EPCs and contractors
- OGDCL
- National exploration and production company, operator of many onshore fields
- Pakistan Petroleum Limited
- Operator of the Sui gas field and other onshore fields
- Mari Energies
- Operator of the Mari gas field at Daharki
- SNGPL and SSGC
- Gas transmission and distribution, north and south
- Pak-Arab Refinery (PARCO)
- The Mid-Country Refinery and white oil pipelines
- Attock Refinery
- Refinery at Morgah near Rawalpindi
Industrial areas and sites
- Sui, Balochistan
- Pakistan's historic gas field and its processing plant
- Daharki and Ghotki, Sindh
- The Mari gas field and fertiliser plants
- Port Qasim, Karachi
- LNG import terminals, refining and petroleum storage
- Korangi, Karachi
- Refineries and product terminals
- Hub, Balochistan
- Coastal refinery and storage
- Mahmood Kot, Muzaffargarh
- The PARCO Mid-Country Refinery
Field notes · Pakistan
More about Pakistan that matters for portable equipment
Pakistan: rules and approvals
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: background
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.
Pakistan: industry on the ground
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.
The term · ATEX and IECEx
What “ATEX and IECEx” means for a smartphone
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.
The route · distribution
Distributing the IS-04Z1 in Pakistan
A distributor for Pakistan would carry the IS-04Z1 after certification completes; the Q4 2026 launch is the planning date and no appointment has been made. SAMS reviews applicants one by one and prefers companies with their own Ex-competent technical and service staff, since certified devices must not be repaired outside approved channels.
What SAMS looks for in a partner
- Operator relationships
- Existing supplier registrations or a clear route to them with the main operators and contractors in Pakistan.
- Ex-competent staff
- People who understand zone classification, markings and the conditions of a certificate.
And equally important
- Local-language support
- Documentation, training and helpdesk in the languages the workforce uses.
- Service capability
- Spares, battery replacement and repair routed through SAMS-approved channels.
Questions · Pakistan
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an ATEX and IECEx smartphone in Pakistan today?
No. Nothing can be bought or taken into a classified area today: certification is in progress and launch is planned for Q4 2026. What is available now is the datasheet, the written certification schedule and evaluation units for safe-area use.
What does an ATEX and IECEx smartphone in Pakistan cost?
No price is published. While certification is in progress there is no list price and no committed lead time, and a supplier quoting a firm figure for an uncertified Ex handset is promising something it cannot stand behind. Indicative pre-launch pricing is issued in writing against a stated quantity and site.
Is the IS-04Z1 ATEX and IECEx certified?
Not yet. Both routes are in progress with TÜV in Germany and no certificate has been issued. Any listing that says otherwise is wrong.
Which sites in Pakistan does this cover?
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.
How do I become a SAMS distributor for Pakistan?
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.
How should I plan device supply for a Pakistani refinery shutdown?
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.
Which authority regulates mobile devices and radio spectrum in Pakistan?
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.
Will it work in the heat of Sindh and Balochistan?
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
Keep exploring
Related guides for Pakistan and for Pakistan.
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone Supplier in PakistanSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Distributor in PakistanSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone Supplier in PakistanSame place, different guide
Ex-Proof Mobile Phone Distributor in PakistanSame place, different guide
Industrial Mobile Phone Supplier in PakistanSame place, different guide
Rugged Mobile Phone Supplier in PakistanSame place, different guide
Pakistan market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for PakistanEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Pakistan
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Pakistan
Send the site, zone and gas group and roughly how many handsets. We reply by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule.
Enquiry · Pakistan
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Pakistan?
Name the site and the operator and we will send what is available before launch.