PTA’s new plan could see smuggled, stolen mobile phones blocked in country

‘DIRBS’ will pair IMEI numbers with CNICs for mobile phone registration, mismatch will result in blockage

KARACHI: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) will be launching a system whereby smuggled and stolen handsets would be blocked in the country, a move that comes as the government looks to curb tax evasion as well as mobile theft.

The mechanism called the Device Identification, Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS) will enable an individual to pair his or her device with the Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC), which would then become the phone’s identity. Through the system, the PTA would get to maintain a database of all mobile phones in the country.



Any device with a fake International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number, which is the case with some smuggled or stolen phones, would not be registered with a cellular network, thereby disabling its use.

Mobile phone smuggling has been a major cause of concern for the government. With the advent of advanced mobile broadband services, the use of smartphones has increased exponentially.

According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, in 2016-17, $71 million worth of mobile phones were imported in the country. Market sources estimate that handsets worth of $10 million are also smuggled into the country, causing a huge loss to the government in revenue.

Another reason for the introduction of the system is to control the number of cases of mobile theft and snatching.

How the system works



Since the government has imposed higher rate of duty on import of mobile phones, smuggling has become even more rampant. Smugglers bring handsets and run them on fake IMEI numbers. The IMEI is a unique identity number given to every mobile set.

Importers of the handsets will have to get devices registered and receive certification.  If a IMEI does not match or meet the PTA’s criteria, the mobile phone will not function in the country.

The PTA will provide this information to cellular mobile operators (CMOs) on a regular basis, a system that would then decide the fate of mobile phone usage. The government is also planning a crackdown on outlets that offer services of changing the IMEI numbers of a mobile phone.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 29^th, 2017.

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