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PTA takes action against fake SIMs, mobile devices used in fraudulent activities
Associated Press Of Pakistan PTA takes action against fake SIMs, mobile devices used in fraudulent activities
By Zahoor Ahmed
ISLAMABAD, Mar 13 (APP): The modern-day electronic gadget of smart phone or what may be called as pocket-size mini-computer has more connected the world than ever before through various apps and social media websites during the last two decades or so.
Thus the rapid digitization has transformed almost everything on face of the earth: economy to government-citizens’ interaction, market-customer relations to healthcare and education.
The speed of digitization has doubled in Pakistan during the last few years firstly due to the government initiatives to modernize and reform the centuries-old obsolete system to ease the conditions of exhausting paperwork and to catch the pace of technological development.
Secondly, the Covid-19 pandemic has also forced people to make maximum use of electronic gadgets when they were restricted to their homes. Thus exponential growth was witnessed in sale and purchase of electronic gadgets in the country.
But the modern-day gadgets have also brought about a range of novel techniques of crimes and fraudulent activities to deprive innocent citizens from their hard earned money. Therefore, the government has ensured a tedious process of SIMs and mobile registration to protect the rights of the people. It has also formulated a number of laws to curtail cyber crimes in the country.
In this regard, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) during the last three years has blocked about 526,082 fake SIMs and 360,569 Computerized National Identity Cards (CNIC) used for getting telecom sector gadgets.
The authority has also blocked around 86,000 mobile devices that were found involved in fraudulent activities, a senior official of the authority said. “Blocking of SIMs involved in frauds is a less plenty to the elements looting the peoples, so causing them a financial damage, the authority has blocked about 86,000 mobile devices during the last one year”, he added.
From November 2020 to November 2021, he said, about 600 percent decrease had been witnessed in the sale of fake, illegal SIMs across the country. About 2,962 retailers terminated on the charge of issuing fake SIMs while about 532 franchises were issued warnings.
The operation of about 52 franchises had also been terminated while 23.5 million penalties had also been imposed on the franchise. At present, he said subscribers’ Antecedents Verification Regulations 2015 and SOP by PTA to regulate SIMs sale issue in April 2019 were in place.
He said in order to discourage the business of fake SIMs, directions had been passed to NADRA to do verification based on index fingers instead of thumb impressing under discussion between PTA, NADRA, and CMOs for implementation.
To a question, he said, since the implementation of Device Identification Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS), the PTA has blocked about 26.03 million fake and replica mobile devices. About 175,000 international mobile equipment identity (IMI) devices reported stolen were also blocked. About 880,780 IMEI devices identified as cloned, duplicated against 5.28 million MISDN banned on the network.
As per PTA Annual Report 2021 released recently, the telecom sector of Pakistan remained at the high growth trajectory and generated highest-ever revenue of Rs 644 billion during the financial year 2020-21 as compared to Rs 592 billion in the previous year.
The sector also attracted US$ 202 million in terms of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and contributed Rs 226 billion to the national exchequer. With successful spectrum auctions and license renewals in Pakistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJ&K) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) during the period, an amount of US$ 486 million (FY 2021-till date) has been generated.
Broadband services reached a remarkable milestone of 100 million subscribers in March 2021, now standing at 110 million. Around 50% of the country’s population has subscribed to broadband, with the bulk (49%) consisting of mobile broadband connections.
Telecom and ICT services have a nationwide spread, covering over 89% of the population with teledensity reaching 87%, and cellular mobile penetration reaching over 86%. Similarly, the number of cellular subscribers rose to 188 million, taking the total telecom subscriber base to 191 million. With the expansion of 3G and 4G services, in tandem with the impact of COVID-19, broadband data usage increased by 52% during FY 2021.
On the direction of the regulator, cell sites of Cellular Mobile Operators (CMOs) in Waziristan were upgraded for 4G to provide high-speed connectivity to marginalized segments in unserved areas. The Annual Report also mentions the huge success of Device Identification, Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS) by PTA.
It has proven to be a catalyst for establishing Pakistan as a major manufacturer of mobile devices. The PTA has so far issued mobile device manufacturing authorizations to 30 companies, attracting investments to the tune of US$120 million, producing 10.1 million smartphones in 2021 and creating 2,000 jobs.
The world’s leading brands like Samsung, Xaomi, Oppo, Vivo, Nokia, Tecno, ZTE, etc. are now being manufactured in the country. Pakistan made history by exporting its first-ever smartphone consignment to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) under the ‘Manufactured in Pakistan’ tag.
The impact of DIRBS is also evident as for the first time smart phones now outnumber 2G phones on domestic networks, capturing a market share of 52% against 48% by 2G mobile phones. Legal commercial imports of mobile phones have also increased by around 125% in three years. The revenue collected on these imports between 2018 and 2020 crossed the Rs. 122 billion mark.
The PTA introduced an online portal for Internet Protocol (IP) Whitelisting and Virtual Private Network (VPN) registration for software houses, call centers, and freelancers. To eliminate illegal telecom setups and grey telephony, PTA conducted 53 raids during the last three years, leading to the confiscation of 163 illegal gateways and 35 arrests.
PTA, as a regulator, is focused on providing an enabling environment to telecom operators, to invest in networks and improve experiences through upgraded and enhanced QoS standards.
In 2022, PTA aims to focus on closing the digital divide through local and international collaboration, working with stakeholders to launch 5G in Pakistan and provide impetus for broadband proliferation and fiberization.
Additionally, releasing additional spectrum as and when demanded by the market, unlawful content moderation, ensuring a level-playing field to all operators and coordinating with stakeholders for improving Pakistan’s cyber security.
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