Policing communication: PTA assures biometric SIM registration system by December

Warns cellular companies of action if SOPs for SIM activation are not complied with.

PESHAWAR: After orders from the Peshawar High Court, an emergency meeting was chaired by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Home Secretary Syed Akhtar Ali Shah to discuss the growing use of unverified SIMs in terrorism activities.

According to a handout issued on Sunday, the participants were briefed by Shah about the use of illegally acquired mobile SIMs in ongoing terrorism activities and non-compliance of standard operating procedure (SOPs) framed by the Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA) for SIM activation.

Deputy Commissioner Syed Zaheerul Islam, PTA Director Kamran Khan, Director General Abdul Samad, Assistant Director Jawad Akhtar, officials of the home department and intelligence agencies were also present.

The issue of launching a biometric system to monitor and register SIMs was also brought up at the meeting.  A group to implement the system will be constituted with SSP Coordination as the focal person, assured PTA officials. The biometric process will commence on December 20, they added.

However, some stakeholders recommended there was a need to re-verify and re-register all SIMs to ascertain the actual and bogus ones.

Two causes were highlighted with regards to active Afghan SIMs in K-P: the spill over of signals in the province from across the border and the roaming service agreement by cellular service companies.

According to the home secretary, the issue will be brought up with the federal government in order to cancel the agreement of Afghan cellular companies in the province.

Divisional commissioners and regional police officers will be directed to carry out a survey of all cellular companies’ franchises and shops where SIMs are being sold illegally, read the handout. In case of violations, the licence of the company would be cancelled.

It was also decided SIM verification would be carried out every six months and the number of SIMs registered on one CNIC would be fixed at five.

In a meeting held on Saturday, the home department asked cellular service providers to not provide roaming facilities to Afghan SIMs in Pakistan, otherwise strict action will be taken against them.

The cellular service providers were directed to keep a check on their SIMs; whether they are being used in terrorist activities, said an official wishing to remain anonymous.

The official added intelligence gathering method was being finalised to monitor the movement of the terrorist outfits and these reports will be shared with police and law enforcers.

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