THE Pakistan Telecommunication Authority announced on May 15 that it had initiated its DIRBS (Device Identification Registration and Blocking System).

I have gone through the website of DIRBS http://dirbs.pta.gov.pk and could not find answers to some pertinent questions that are in the larger interests of overseas Pakistanis and visitors to Pakistan.

I urge the PTA authorities to guide the cellular subscribers as to how this system will accommodate visitors to Pakistan from overseas who are here for a short visit for personal or business purposes.

Visitors to a foreign land buy a local SIM card to be used in the same handset during the period of their stay in the country.

According to the DIRBS system once the local SIM is used by a traveller, it will identify the user having a non-duty paid phone. Why would a traveller register his/ her handset on DIRBS and pay customs duty being a temporary visitor in the country?

The cellular service providers should ensure that a bona fide SIM is issued to visitors. I quote the example of Malaysia, where a visitor can buy a traveller’s SIM which has a validity of one month, after which the SIM card becomes void. Saudi Arabia also has a similar system in force

Ather Iqbal

Karachi

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2018