SC allows mobile firms to issue 8 SIMs per head

Permits issuance of three data SIMs and five voice mobile cards

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Court has allowed mobile phone companies to issue up to eight SIMs – including three data SIMs and five voice mobile cards – against each computerised national identity card (CNIC).

The apex court’s three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, on Thursday issued this order on Zong Pakistan’s petition against its previous instruuction. Three years ago, the apex court directed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to reduce the number of SIMs that could be purchased against one CNIC from 10 to five.



While hearing Zong’s petition, the court on September 3 directed the attorney general to convene a meeting with the PTA chairman, representatives of telecom companies and security agencies regarding the matter.

The AGP office later held three meetings on the issue but no consensus could be reached among the stakeholders. However, in view of security concerns, a process of quarterly review was suggested by all the stakeholders.

According to a  report of the meetings submitted in the court last month, the representatives of security agencies were of the view that the limit of five SIMs might be continued as long as the National Action Plan against terrorism was being implemented.



They stated that there were certain advantages of relaxing the limit for security reasons. However, once the security situation improves this limit can be reviewed in consultation with all stakeholders. They suggested that the situation might be reviewed after six months.

The PTA chairman, on the other hand, had recommended that the limit of five SIMs per CNIC might be relaxed for the growth of telecom sector as the biometric verification system (BVS) had been fully implemented. He said the number of active SIMs had reduced to 114 million from 140 million after the implementation of the BVS.



He said the PTA was ensuring that limit of five SIMs per CNIC was observed. However, with introduction of the 3G and the 4G technology future devices, the limit might be increased to meet connectivity needs, he said.



During the meeting, a representative of Zong said the company had made a huge investment in procuring of 3G/4G spectrum. He said data SIMs were provided by Wireless Local Loop (WLL) operators without any restriction or limitation, whereas 4G /4G spectrum was very expensive and was meant to be used for data and not for voice communication.

He also proposed that the maximum limit for data SIMs might be enhanced subject to the fulfillment of such conditions that they might address the concerns of security agencies. He further recommended that if needed, the issuance of SIMs could be monitored for ensuring that security concerns are addressed.

The member of IT ministry said biometric verification had been initiated and now the question of misuse of the SIM did not arise as each SIM was linked to an individual and was issued after proof of life.



A representative of Mobilink said terrorism might also be eliminated by promoting headband access, as people would have better business and economic opportunities.  By the end of this year, he said, once the improved system is in place, any suspicious activity would be shared with the security agencies.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 6^th, 2015.