Illegal usage of mobile SIMs continues unabated in Balochistan: DIG

Supreme Court urges serious action by telecom operators to curb illegal usage of mobile phones

ISLAMABAD: The Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Balochistan police, Mohammed Saleem Lehri has told the Supreme Court that unregistered Subscriber Identity Modules (SIMs) are being used to create more trouble in the province. 

While presenting his assessment in the apex court that was hearing a case on the selling and usage of illegal and unregistered SIM cards across Pakistan, the DIG alleged that the situation in Balochistan was such that on any given day, more than 700 SIM cards were being registered by the trouble makers.

He added that they were using the electoral registration lists of the National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) to further their designs.

Adding his remarks to the case, Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry said that today SIM cards were being sold at general stores, pharmacies and even on footpaths across the nation. He said that  illegal SIM cards were being used to incite sectarian violence, targeted killings, terror activities and for kidnappings across Pakistan.

He ordered the mobile phone companies to take urgent corrective measures in order to ensure that SIM cards were only sold through responsible means. He also instructed them to take actions in order to curb the illegal usage of SIM cards and mobile phone services in general.

Earlier, the representative lawyer for the telecom operators said that implementation of these court orders would adversely affect these companies and their business.