Govt signals Legal Action against Obstruction of Mobile SIM Blocking Decision

ISLAMABAD: The government has signaled its intent to take legal action against those impeding the enforcement of the decision to block mobile SIM cards.

Sources reveal that this determination was reached during a meeting at the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) headquarters, attended by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan.

During the session, FBR officials briefed the finance minister on the decision to block over five hundred thousand SIM cards. The issue of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority's (PTA) lack of cooperation in executing the decision was also raised, leading to a consensus to take punitive measures against any attempts to hinder its implementation.

Furthermore, the finance minister highlighted a discussion with the Army Chief, who expressed support for blocking SIM cards of non-filers. He emphasized that there's no justifiable reason for opposing the SIM blocking decision.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the PTA, Major General (Retd) Hafeezur Rahman, underscored the importance of balancing the SIM blocking action with safeguarding telecom operators' investments. He reiterated the primary objective of upholding regulatory framework integrity and protecting telecom users' interests.

Despite the impending blockage of SIM cards for five hundred thousand individuals, there will be no restriction on obtaining a new mobile connection for affected individuals. Additionally, plans are underway to devise a mechanism for restoring SIM cards for tax filers, as informed by the Finance Minister.

In the meeting, the Finance Minister instructed the immediate commencement of mandatory registration for retailers. The deliberations also addressed the issue of disputed revenue amounting to Rs. 27 trillion, with an agreement to expedite resolution by referring these cases to higher courts for prompt disposal.