Curbing illegal use of SIMs: Biometric verification must after July 31

NADRA, cellular services sign agreement.

ISLAMABAD:

Cellular service providers have agreed not to issue any SIM after July 31 this year without verifying applicants’ identities from the National Database and Registration Authority’s biometric database under a deal finalised with the government on Friday.

The agreement, signed by NADRA chairman Imtiaz Tajwar and the CEOs of Ufone, Mobilink, Zong, Warid and Telenor, put to rest a two-year row between the government and cellular service providers.

The latter had been resisting the move to restrict the sale of SIMs without verification. Under the agreement, NADRA will assist cellular companies in verifying the identity of every new applicant before activating a SIM.

Cellular companies will bear the cost of procuring biometric machines, which they will have to provide to their franchisees and retailers. NADRA will charge cellular companies Rs10 for each verification.

“Biometric-based SIM verification will provide better technological support to law enforcement agencies, thus improving security in the country,” a statement issued by the interior ministry quoted Nisar as saying. The minister also asked NADRA and the cellular companies to clear the heavy backlog of unverified SIMs.

Another issue between the government and cellular companies is re-verification of existing SIMs, which are estimated to number around 129.6 million. Among them, are unverified users, blocking whom will seriously affect cell firms revenue.

Talking to The Express Tribune, an interior ministry official said once a mechanism for SIM verification is put in place by July 31, a deadline will be given for verification of existing SIMs.

The use of unregistered SIMs in terrorist and other unlawful activities has been a major concern for the government. Authorities hope once the new system is in place, procuring SIMs against fake identities would become impossible.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 24^th, 2014.