ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Telecommunication Authority Chairman has revealed that he receives scam calls almost daily, including fraudulent messages claiming that parcels have arrived for him, as authorities intensify action against misuse of SIMs and telecom services.
The PTA chairman shared his experience while briefing the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior. He expressed particular concern that scammers possessed information linked to a SIM registered in his name.
Meanwhile, he said PTA and the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency conducted 110 operations during the past one-and-a-half years against illegal SIM use and telecom-related fraud.
Joint Operations Recover Around 29,000 SIMs
According to the chairman, authorities recovered approximately 29,000 SIMs and arrested 171 people during the operations.
Furthermore, he acknowledged previous weaknesses in SIM purchase and registration policies. Authorities subsequently tightened requirements governing franchises that activate SIMs.
PTA has also restricted biometric verification machines to a 10-metre radius around their designated locations to prevent their unauthorised use elsewhere.
The chairman said a SIM remains registered against an individual’s name for one year to maintain relevant records.
PTA Tightens Controls Against Telecom Fraud
The committee was also informed that authorities had received biometric information relating to around 600,000 people. The chairman said government institutions collect biometric data for several services, including NADRA operations, airports, prisons and driving licences.
Additionally, Islamabad’s DIG Traffic told lawmakers that the driving licence system had become paperless.
The PTA chairman further told the committee that 18.2 billion SIMs had been blocked and telecom companies fined Rs4.2 billion for violations.
He recalled that authorities reverified all SIMs in 2015 under the National Action Plan.
The latest PTA-NCCIA operations, he added, aim to curb illegal SIM usage, fraudulent communications and broader misuse of Pakistan’s telecommunications system.
