October 14, 2008	Tuesday	Shawwal 14, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Oct 13: The government has decided to block all prepaid mobile phone connections in two weeks if their subscriber identity modules (SIMs) are not registered with mobile phone companies.

“All unverified prepaid connections would be terminated after two weeks,” the prime minister’s adviser on interior, Rehman Malik, said after a meeting on Sunday.

The adviser warned individuals using the short messaging service for sending defamatory texts or ones aimed at sowing fear that such acts would be tried under cyber crime laws.

The basic idea to get registered prepaid mobile connections is to avoid misuse of cell phones and their use by terrorists.

According to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, about 10.5 million unverified and unregistered mobile connections have so far been blocked in the country.

They were blocked after several deadlines were given for blocking of unregistered SIMs more than 10 connections on single computerised national identity cards (CNICs) and on the proposed project for “activation of SIMs after verification”.

In the first phase, connections sold till April 30, have been got verified through Nadra. More than 7.3 million connections found unverified have been blocked.

In the second phase, the PTA targeted connections sold from May 1 to May 30.

A total of 600,000 unverified connections have been blocked.

Standing operating procedure (SOP) on verification also binds mobile companies to block more than 10 connections issued against single CNIC.

Mobile companies were asked to block additional connections by Sept 30. Almost 2.6 million connections have been blocked so far.

The government has shown great concerns on the outcome of recently concluded survey of franchise and retailers done jointly by the PTA and mobile companies.

The results showed violation of SOP on verification by franchisees and retailers.

The PTA has informed the chiefs of mobile companies that a considerable improvement has been seen in the verification process, however, the PTA feels that unless sale of pre-active SIMs are not stopped, full implementation on the SOP will not be possible.