Identity theft: Illegal SIMs spread fear among North and South Waziristan’s residents

While there is no mobile coverage, businessmen and students go outside the agency and acquire mobile phones.

DI KHAN:

Residents of North and South Waziristan have a new fear hanging over their heads: identity theft. The proliferation of mobile SIMs in the agencies have raised concerns among people if SIMs registered in their names are being used for terrorist activities.

Currently, there are no mobile networks in Waziristan except for one company that has coverage in the Wana Scouts Camp in the South. However, many people, mostly businessmen and students, who frequently visit Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), have acquired mobile phones. Liaqat Ali, a resident of Mir Ali, recently discovered that there are eight mobile SIMs registered in his name. Ali is a businessman in DI Khan district and discovered that his name was being misused after texting his national identity card number to 668, he told The Express Tribune. He found out about this service through a TV commercial.

“I visited all the concerned mobile offices last month to block the numbers issued on my identity card, but none of them have been blocked as yet. A month later, I messaged my CNIC number at 668 again and received the same message,” Ali said. He does not know who issued these numbers and fears government harassment if they are misused.

Hayath Khan, also a resident of Wana, fell victim to identity theft as four illegal mobile SIMs have been issued with his name. He wanted to block them as soon as possible but the numbers remain active.

Panic among tribal people ensues, especially after the federal interior ministry blocked cell phone coverage across the country to avoid terrorist attacks during the Muharram processions.

The southern districts of K-P have suffered from many improvised explosive device (IED) attacks even when strict measures were adopted during the month of Muharram. 10 people were killed and more than 30 injured when a remote-controlled bomb went off in Dera Ismail Khan as cellular service was not shut off completely in the area.

On the directives of the interior ministry, the sale of all private cell phone company SIMs was banned in the province last month. The decision was taken in view of the use of illegal SIMs in terrorist activities in the province.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 2^nd, 2012.