Curbing attacks: K-P gives federal govt green light to ban illegal SIMs

Mobile networks to remain suspended till Monday in some parts of province.

PESHAWAR: In light of incessant use of mobile phones in terrorist attacks, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government has asked the federal government to block all unregistered SIM cards by November 30.

The decision was taken at a meeting held at the K-P Home and Tribal Affairs Department and was initiated upon the request of the provincial police. Police say that illegal SIM cards are being increasingly used in attacks by terrorists, who use mobile devices connected to explosives. Since the SIMs are not registered it becomes difficult to track people down.

The police department also recommended that the interior ministry launch a crackdown against the use of illegally registered SIMs from November 24 till November 30. It is hoped that once illegal mobiles are blocked, citizens would hesitate from buying unauthorised SIM cards again.

Home department officials also told The Express Tribune that illegal mobiles are also being used to make threatening calls for ransom and extortion, among other illegal activities.

“We have told the federal government that we cannot deal with this anymore and have proposed that they take action to stop them being sold in the first place,” said a home department official.

An intelligence agency report forwarded to police and other law enforcement agencies revealed that the illegal sale of SIMs is being carried out in collusion with individuals within the telecommunications sector.

Mobile phone networks

Despite the K-P government asking the centre not to suspend mobile phone services in the provincial capital, the federal government maintained its policy and blocked signals from 3:30pm to 6:15pm.  This made things difficult for residents who were not prepared for the ban. Media personnel and law enforcement agencies deployed at sensitive check posts faced immense difficulty communicating.

Home and Tribal Affairs Department officials told The Express Tribune that the federal government had consulted with the K-P government about whether to suspend the signals in the province. “We said it should not be suspended as it would become extremely difficult for us to communicate intelligence information,” said one official. However, the federal government went ahead with it and suspended services anyway.

Meanwhile, K-P has asked the federal government to suspend mobile phone network today (Sunday) in Kohat, Hangu, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Mansehra and DI Khan. The network is said to remain suspended in Haripur, Tank and Ustarzai on Monday as well.

Police recommended that the federal interior ministry ban the use of illegally registered SIMs from November 24 till November 30

Published in The Express Tribune, November 25^th, 2012.