RAWALPINDI, Nov 5: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has asked the Punjab Home Department to follow the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) set by PTA before launching a crackdown against illegal sale of mobile phone SIMs (subscriber identity modules).
The Punjab home department had issued a directive to the divisional police chiefs across the province last month to launch a crackdown against illegal sale of mobile phone SIMs because these SIMS could be used by terrorists and criminals.
The PTA said that it would be appropriate if police focussed on ensuring compliance with directive issued by PTA on March 13 for sale/activation of SIMs.
The SOP issued by PTA said that sale of SIMS by outlets other than the customer sale centres, franchises and registered retailers having unique IDs would be considered illegal. The PTA directive further said that outlets would depute only those people at sale points who were familiar with PTA procedures, SPOs, laws and rules.
It further asked retailers to keep with them registration letters/authorisation certificates at all times and to display them in their premises. These registration letters/authorisation certificates should have signatures of an authorised mobile company’s representatives and the company’s stamp.
The PTA also mentioned the procedure for selling SIMs by sale outlets and asked them to sell only inactive connections/SIMs.
The customers, the directive said, shall provide the original computerised national identity cards to the sale representative who would ensure that the CNIC produced was of the intended customer’s. Upon confirmation of the valid CNIC, the sale representative shall punch in the mobile phone number to be sold and the CNIC number of the purchaser as a short message service (SMS) in his/her mobile.
