Govt will not immediately block unregistered SIMs: Rehman Malik
Interior Minister says blockage will cause inconvenience to users and will have a negative impact on revenue.
ISLAMABAD:
The government has no intention of immediately blocking unregistered SIMs as this will cause inconvenience to users and will have a negative impact on revenue, said Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Thursday.
In an exclusive interview to the Radio Pakistan, Malik said all stakeholders will be asked to devise a strategy to deal with the problem of SIMs being issued against fake identity cards or to a person other than the supposed user.
Malik said that SIMs should be verified against thumb impression of applicants in the National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) database.
He added that interests of foreign investors and cellular operators will be kept in mind while addressing this issue.
“We will devise a mechanism to ensure that mobile phones are not used as tools for terrorist activities,” he vowed.
The interior minister also said that there would have been many acts of terrorism if cellular services were not suspended in parts of Pakistan on Eid.
“The government had information about possible terrorist activities and the enemies’ designs were foiled through effective coordination between intelligence and law enforcing agencies,” he said.
Sectarian killings
Commenting on the recent Shia killings in the northern areas, Malik said that it was an act of terrorism rather than a sectarian incident as those killed included both Shias and Sunnis. Malik said he also spoke to the Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister about the situation in the area.
“The CM informed me about the three demands of the people - police should escort passengers, heirs of the victims should be compensated and the number of PIA flights to the region should be increased. The demands have been accepted,” he said.
Balochistan
Speaking about the state of affairs in Balochistan, the interior minister said that situation in the province has improved following his detailed briefing to the Senate which exposed involvement of a neighbouring country in Balochistan.
Malik also extended offer to estranged Baloch leaders to return to the country and talk to people of their choice.
The interior minister said the leaders should abandon their comfortable dwellings abroad and return to Balochistan if they are genuinely interested in serving the people.
The government has no intention of immediately blocking unregistered SIMs as this will cause inconvenience to users and will have a negative impact on revenue, said Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Thursday.
In an exclusive interview to the Radio Pakistan, Malik said all stakeholders will be asked to devise a strategy to deal with the problem of SIMs being issued against fake identity cards or to a person other than the supposed user.
Malik said that SIMs should be verified against thumb impression of applicants in the National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) database.
He added that interests of foreign investors and cellular operators will be kept in mind while addressing this issue.
“We will devise a mechanism to ensure that mobile phones are not used as tools for terrorist activities,” he vowed.
The interior minister also said that there would have been many acts of terrorism if cellular services were not suspended in parts of Pakistan on Eid.
“The government had information about possible terrorist activities and the enemies’ designs were foiled through effective coordination between intelligence and law enforcing agencies,” he said.
Sectarian killings
Commenting on the recent Shia killings in the northern areas, Malik said that it was an act of terrorism rather than a sectarian incident as those killed included both Shias and Sunnis. Malik said he also spoke to the Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister about the situation in the area.
“The CM informed me about the three demands of the people - police should escort passengers, heirs of the victims should be compensated and the number of PIA flights to the region should be increased. The demands have been accepted,” he said.
Balochistan
Speaking about the state of affairs in Balochistan, the interior minister said that situation in the province has improved following his detailed briefing to the Senate which exposed involvement of a neighbouring country in Balochistan.
Malik also extended offer to estranged Baloch leaders to return to the country and talk to people of their choice.
The interior minister said the leaders should abandon their comfortable dwellings abroad and return to Balochistan if they are genuinely interested in serving the people.