ISLAMABAD: The mobile phone services will be suspended in Islamabad on for the March 23 parade.
This was stated by PTA chairperson Dr Ismael Shah, while addressing a press conference flanked by cellular companies’ representatives on Saturday, said some 70.5 million mobile phone SIMs have so far been verified through the biometric verification system, while 11 million have been blocked.
Dr Shah said unverified SIMs will be blocked after April 12. The blocked SIMs will not be issued to anyone for six months, he added.
CEOs of cellular companies held that SIM verification was very critical for safety and security, which is why they started this very expensive process.
The PTA chairperson, in response to a question, said intelligence agencies did not share details of SIMs used in the terrorist attack on schoolchildren in Peshawar.
He said only the federal government and the interior ministry can verify those details.
“We are just supposed to implement the orders, as sensitive and security issues are involved,” he added.
“We would like to remind the government that blanket restrictions on communication under the guise of security are not only a violation of human rights, but there is also no evidence to show that it is an effective counter-terrorism tool,” said Bytes for All country director Shahzad Ahmad, in reaction to the development of the situation.
“Such shutdowns negatively impact a range of social, economic, cultural, and fundamental rights. Blocking cellular services, especially at a time when security threats are reportedly high, can leave people stranded and unable to call emergency services if the need arises,” Ahmad said.
He added that blocking cellular services negate the constitutionally guaranteed rights to communications, and further increase insecurity. In 2013, the ‘kill switch’ had cost cellular mobile operators approximately Rs6 billion in revenue losses, highlighting the economic cost of the ‘kill switch’ strategy.
Dr Shah said tens of millions of dollars have been spent during the process of SIM verification by companies, adding that 80,000 biometric machines have been installed for the verification of SIMs.
The PTA chief said the authority would also approach the apex court, along with cellular companies once the process is over, seeking the removal of certain restrictions on cellular companies.
“For instance, a person cannot get ownership of more than five SIMs,” he said.
He also offered services of PTA to cellular companies, stating that a marketing plan will be chalked out for them to overcome the business losses which occur during the verification process.
Dr Shah said in the past, the process of verification was followed in one way or another. However, with technological changes, methods have also changed, and one cannot guarantee that a certain process is absolutely perfect.
