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The caretaker government has decided on the re-verification of mobile SIM cards in the country.
Reports said that the authorities will re-verify the SIMs using the Multi Finger Biometric Verification System. The decision was taken during a meeting in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the caretaker chief minister of KP, high-ranking officials from the military, and other officials were present.
According to reports, the authorities blocked around 80,624 mobile SIMs along with around 4 million others that were not being used.
The official said that “geo-tagging of MFVS and the verification” of Iris — the online portal for the filing of income tax returns – were also under way.
He said that in addition to 112,320 SIMs issued against altered Afghan passports and 4.5 million idle SIMs nationwide, the administration had so far disabled 80,624 SIMs of non-KP women residents.
The official reported that 8,629 stores and 95 franchises were targeted during the campaign to restrict SIM cards.
He added that the services of 24 staff members were terminated and five were arrested.
The official also revealed that the verification of “illegal” SIM cards issued across the country, especially in the newly merged tribal districts of KP, on the tampered Afghan passports was an issue.
He added that the “exaggerated” target by cellular companies was the main source of illegal SIM activation.
“There are geo-discrepancies in the issuance and verification of SIMs,” he said, adding that the way forward was the re-verification of all SIM cards issued across the country as well as the geo-based tagging of MFVS devices.
Three GSM (Global System for Mobile) and two data SIM (co-sharing of towers) would be permitted for an individual, according to the official.
He further stated that regional offices would tag passports and activate SIM cards on visas for foreign nationals living in the nation.
According to the person, the federal government had intended to develop a system for rigorous inspections of SIM card imports and distribution to telecom providers.
Additionally, around 112,320 tampered Afghan passports have also been blocked. During the meeting, it was decided to allow only one mobile SIM on a single passport.
