Means to end misuse: SIM cards to be issued after verifying thumbprints

SHC gives order to curb misuse of cellphones, especially in missing persons’ cases.

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court directed the cellular companies on Wednesday to use the biometric system for issuance of new Subscribers Identity Module (SIM) cards in order to curb misuse of the cellular service. The companies have been given a deadline up to June 30 to install and utilise the system.

Chief Justice Mushir Alam passed this order while heading the bench exclusively hearing dozens of petitions on missing persons who have allegedly been detained by law enforcers. In its directions, the court had ordered the Sindh police chief multiple times to make efforts for getting information about the anonymous calls made through the cell phones of the missing persons or from other SIM cards. On Wednesday, the judges expressed their displeasure that despite their repeated orders, the authorities had failed to provide the requisite information.

The cellular companies were told to ensure that all the franchise holders/ licencees obtained such biometric system and fingerprint devices to be connected with the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA). Any issuance of the new SIM is to be physically verified within the timeframe decided by the committee being headed by the Sindh Advocate-General and Sindh police’s additional inspector general for legal affairs.

“With effect from July 1, 2013, no fresh cellular connection or SIM or reactivation shall be issued without biometric thumb printing verification from NADRA. Instead of being issued across the counter, the SIM will be dispatched through postal/courier service at the address of the customer after verification from NADRA,” ordered the judges.

Abuse of power allegations

Petitioner, Muhammad Saleem, said the Rangers and police officials had taken away his two brothers and a cousin - Sher Ali Khan, Mubarak Shah and Shumar Gul - from Mauripur on April 28.



“When contacted, the Rangers personnel demanded Rs10,00,000 for releasing the detainees and upon failure to pay the amount, they handed the detainees over to the Crime Investigation Department who also demanded the same amount,” alleged the petitioner.

They pleaded to the court to order release of the three detainees and order registration of a criminal case against the Rangers and police officials responsible for illegally detaining the citizens. After hearing arguments, the bench issued notice to the DG Rangers, SP CID and Mauripur SHO to file their comments by the next date.

The same bench called reports from the federal and provincial interior secretaries, director general of Rangers, Sindh Inspector General of Police and his subordinates on petitions challenging alleged illegal detention of many people, including three political activists.

Mirza Kareen Baig told the judges that his 35-year-old brother and worker of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Mirza Faheem Baig, was taken by the personnel of Rangers from the Allah Wala Haleem shop in Khudadad Colony on May 6.

Two more petitioners, Gul Muneer and Muhammad Ali, alleged that their brothers - Zeeshan Baloch and Usman Ali - were also taken into custody by the Rangers personnel and police while they were playing snooker in the limits of the Brigade police station on May 12.

A similar petition by Amna stated that her son Arsalan Zahid was taken into custody by Rangers personnel and police in the limits of the Gulzar-e-Hijri police station on March 1.

Sher Khan said at least 40 to 45 uniformed personnel of the Rangers and Frontier Constabulary barged into her house in the limits of the Ibrahim Hyderi police station and took away her son, Khial Muhammad, to an unknown place on April 19. The family contacted the police but they refused to disclose the location of the detainee and turned down their request to register a case against the Rangers.

Cellular companies want more time 

Following SHC’s directions to cellular companies to obtain biometric system by July, The Express Tribune contacted the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) for their version on the court order.

According to PTA officials, the decision can be easily implemented but the timeframe given by the court is insufficient to put the system in place. The PTA and the cellular companies have been trying to install the system at sales centres for the past six months after being directed by the interior ministry for the same but the latter failed to meet the Feb 28 deadline and requested for an extension. The change of government, however, pushed the matter to the backburner and the officials expressed hope that the court order would give the issue fresh impetus. They also said that the system should be introduced on a priority basis as it is a matter of national security.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 30^th, 2013.