July 30, 2007	Monday	Rajab 14, 1428

LAHORE, July 29: A random inspection of mobile phone companies’ franchises by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to check issuance of SIMs against fake identities faces delay.

The inspection is meant to check alleged irregularities by the franchises which have issued over the past years a large number of cell phone SIMs against fake identities. The irregularities surface whenever law-enforcement agencies try to trace an anonymous caller, mainly in kidnapping for ransom and extortion cases. The intelligence agencies also face the problem in their efforts to trace terrorists.

“If an operator does not follow PTA instructions, it can be fined and proceedings can be initiated against it as per the Telecom Act,” the PTA had said in June.

A source told Dawn on Sunday that the authority had delayed the process on the request of the cellular companies, which required more time to ensure that subscribers using SIMs in others’ names submitted their computerised national identity cards to transfer the connections to their names.

A PTA spokesman, however, claimed that there was no question of delay in the process as the deadline given to the cellular companies was July 31.

He said preparations in this regard were under way and the inspection would begin in the first week of August.

All the cellular companies have jointly launched a campaign asking subscribers to get their connections in their named.