Reversing the interior ministry’s decision, Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on Thursday announced that mobile companies would continue to issue SIM cards from their self-owned, self-operated business centres and franchises after due verification from the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra).
The premier rejected the decision taken by the interior ministry that SIM cards should only be dispatched to the customers through courier services at their residential addresses. Prime Minister Ashraf also waived off the requirement of the interior ministry that a second identity requirement, which works like a guarantee, be imposed before purchasing SIM cards.
“The condition of delivering SIM cards by couriers and [the requirement of a] second identity for issuance of SIMs have been dispensed forthwith,” his media office said announcing the premier’s decision.
However, the sale of SIM cards from retail networks shall remain suspended until biometric devices are deployed at each centre, the statement added.
The prime minister took these decisions during a meeting with a delegation of chief executive officers (CEOs) of private cellular operators at the Prime Minister House in Islamabad.
The prime minister also withdrew the earlier restriction imposed on mobile number portability (MNP), where users could keep the same number and change their billing companies, and said that the present arrangement of number portability would continue due to high integrity of data.
PM Ashraf directed the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Information Technology to immediately sit with Customs and other relevant authorities to streamline the import and local assembling of cellular handsets in the country and ensure that all handsets bear unique identification numbers (IMEI) and handsets without IMEI and duplicate IMEIs be banned.
He said that measures taken by the government in the cellular sector will be guided by the fact that the normal lifestyle of the common man is least affected. He said the government would also ensure that minimum inconvenience is caused to the masses. “Every effort will be made to facilitate the cellular companies,” he emphasised.
The prime minister stated that the government will consult all stakeholders before taking more decisions on issues concerning the cellular sector.
Regarding the recent blocking of mobile networks for security purposes, PM Ashraf said that Pakistan was facing the menace of terrorism which “has affected our lifestyles and we have to accept certain restrictions for the greater good of the masses”.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 30th, 2012.
COMMENTS (4)
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@gp65: Rehman Malik takes his orders from Zardari.
seems sense prevailed.
Good to hear something sensible for a change...
Do such major decisions not get discussed in the cabinet before getting announced? How come PM's input was not sought prior to announcing?