ISLAMABAD – Under the government’s anti-terror National Action Plan, five mobile cellular operators have initiated biometric re-verification process of around 103 million mobile phone SIMs in the country.
As per statement issued by PR Company, Mobilink, Telenor Pakistan, Ufone, Zong and Warid have started Biometric Verification System (BVS) across the country. They have already facilitated data verification exercises in the past as well including the 668 process back in 2009, 789 verification process in 2011 and Biometric Verification System introduced in 2014.
It added that the industry has so far invested $25 million on the provision of around 60,000 BVS devices and Rs 22 billion on previous mandatory verification processes with another significant amount to be spent on this re-verification exercise to enhance the availability of these BVS devices across Pakistan.
It has urged all its valued customers to perform their national duty by re-verifying their mobile phone SIMs as per the schedule announced by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and Ministry of Interior. The industry has also sought government’s support to meet the extremely challenging task by ensuring cooperation of law enforcement agencies/ local authorities, provision of security at service centers/ franchise and BVS retailers across the country where re-verification process is underway etc.