Shops, retailers and franchises won’t be allowed to sell mobile phone SIMs from December 1st, 2012; instead mobile phone operators will have to deliver SIMs at customers’ home addresses mentioned on customers’ CNICs, said Mr. Rahman Malik during a press briefing today.
Citing security reasons (something he has miserably failed to provide to countrymen), Mr. Malik explained that mobile phone operators will be directed to make necessary arrangements to dispatch all new mobile SIMs to customers home addresses given on their CNICs.
Mr. Malik also said that every mobile phone customer must get their SIMs registered before November 30th, or …. well he didn’t mention the or part yet. He urged mobile phone operators to open new offices to facilitate registration of SIMs.
Another government body, i.e. National Assembly’s standing committee had recently proposed to ban all prepaid SIMs in the country. Mr. Malik had had also expressed his plans for banning prepaid SIMs in August 2012, however, he took back his statement in just few days and said that only illegal SIMs will be blocked.
Industry’s Reaction:
It is too early to calculate cellular industry’s reaction over the statement. Telecom officials, we spoke with, were not astonished by such mindless plan, explaining that industry is pretty much used to of such surprises from Mr. Malik.
Officials of telecom companies told ProPakistani that this is un-doable thing, especially when customers’ CNIC addresses and their current addresses are usually different. They said that whole process will result into lesser acquisitions and increased operational cost that will ultimately impact the performance, economy, jobs and the society.
“It appears that current government, in general and Mr. Rahman Malik in specific, has decided in principle to kill the industry.”
Industry veterans expressed their reservations over the statement, while others advised us not to take Mr. Malik seriously.
Rahman Malik’s Past Statements:
This is not the first time that Rahman Malik has tried to entertain the audience with his ability to ask for unattainable things. Check below list, in which he has proven that he can say anything on any day:
- New SIMs to be Posted to Posted Addresses: Rahman Malik (July 25th, 2010)
- New SIMs to be Posted to Postal Addresses: Rehman Malik (March 20th, 2012)
- Issue Only One SIM per One CNIC: Rahman Malik
- SMS may get blocked in Pakistan: Rehman Malik
- MNP to Get Banned in Pakistan: Rehman Malik
- Google Administrator in Pakistan to be Arrested: Rehman Malik
We have previously ranted on Mr. Malik, here are those posts with immensely .
PTA’s Role:
Just in case if you don’t know, one of primary functions that were defined for Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, at time of its formation, were to encourage investment, innovation and optimum growth of the cellular sector and operators’ performance.
However, none of this is happening. During all the hard hitting on cellular industry PTA is apparently sleeping while Mr. Farooq Awan, who rarely comes to office, is so gladly enjoying his position and taxpayers’ money while doing nothing for the industry and the country.
I believe this is enough to say about PTA and its uselessness. Rest, you know it well.
Assalam U Aliakum
Good Decision Pa g
thats not so much easy like it looks
PTA khud theek hojai tu illegal SIMs ki sale khatam ho jai.
AGAIN he told terriost to buy sims before 1st december tak ka un ko koi pareshani na ho after 1/12/12…. Rehman Babba Rocks… sab (Terriost) ka buhat khyal rakhta hai sawai Awaam ka.. Blogging Chunks
AGAIN he told terriost to buy sims before 1st december tak ka un ko koi pareshani na ho after 1/12/12…. Rehman Babba Rocks… sab (Terriost) ka buhat khyal rakhta hai sawai Awaam ka..
Blogging Chunks
Bakwasss….
Stupidity has no limits with these guys! When people, who have no clue about how telecommunications industry, distribution channels and the infrastructure shortcomings works, as they live on their own clouds, are put in charge, then we shouldn’t be surprised about such imbicilic decisions and directions! Mr Malik has never bought his own SIM card to understad what distribution infrastructure is behind it, which helps the smaller enterprises and micro-economies to prosper. He doesn’t understand the huge cost that will be imposed to the operators to open those new offices for registrations. Will he pay for that? Such costs will utlimately come down to the consumers, but Mr. Malik doesn’ understand that. Does he realize how his “idea” can further devestate the economics of the already destroyed and bleeding telecommunications industry in Pakistan? Does he understand the consequences at all? I try to keep my temper under control when I see/read such statements, but there are times like this when I only wish we could dismiss this incompetent individuals on the spot to bring real subject-matter experts onboard. Non-specialist politicians are not to decide over things that they don’t understand. This is yet another example.
your points may be correct. But I am angry at telecom operators for imposing so many extra charges on customers that “costs” shouldn’t be still a complain by them.
In other countries operators are giving better quality and cheap (even free) services without imposing extra charges unlike our operators.
Brother, Do you know what is the cost of running a single BTS is with all this energy crisis and operating the technical sides with gensets which consumes Diesel at the cost of 4000/- rupees per hour open your eyes and before comparing rates with other countries check the status of our power sector.
Hmmmm… laiken mulk kay kisi masalay ka bhoj customers per dalna achi baat nahi. Company janay aur hakomat janay.
Agr aap ki dukaan ho aur uss ka bijli ka bill ziada aana shuru ho jaye to kya aap hukumat k pas jaye gy ya apnay rates barhaye gy??? yeh social service nahi business hai pure business.
hahaha
Write Abdul Rahman Malik not only Rahman Malik because RAHMAN is the only name of ALLAH.
you are right.I also doubt Reham Malik is not the right name,it should be rather Abdul Rehman but our interior minsiter’s is written and called every were “Rehman Malik”.Rehman is Allah’s name so I cant understand how a person may be given Allah’s name…Reham should be preceded by Abdul means “Man of Reham” (Rehman ka Banda)
Kindly make correction; “Rehman is one of the name of ALLAH”
@jawadzubairshaikh:disqus Walaikum AsSalam
@jawadzubairshaikh:disqus Walaikum AsSalam.
This seems strange, even difficult to implement :/
but we should implement this for controlling crimes in our beloved country! :)
Dimagh khrab ho gya hy aur bohat easy tarike hain connection security ke
PTA millions earn krta hy per poore Pakistan mein ek be Customer Centre nhi
Meray paas to aik he sim hay kai saal say na main roz roz sims kharidt’ta hon jo mujay ye faisla bura lagay :D
Han companies ka kharcha bhurd jayay ga (hum say taxes bhi to bohat letay hain extra service charges kay naam per). Logon ko daak to waisay bhi ati hay ghar, koi nai baat nahi ho ge sawayay un kay jo candies ke terha ayay roz sims kharidnay kay aadi hain.
shops walon ke rozi jayay ge. delivery walo ke rozi lag jayay ge.
“others advised us not to take Mr. Malik seriously.”
apparently that’s all we can do for now. Let’s hope one day we will all be laughing at all this saying “How stupid our interior ministry once was”.
ya Allah oh din dekha k marien. Ameen!
Well, I think its good! In Pakistan mobiles sims are being abused too much. And problem arises when our forces can’t even grab those bad guys easily. So, I think this step is much impressive and will be helpful inshaAllah!
http://taimoorsultan.com/
And how will this solve security problems? Do you think people involved in terrorism will not find a way out of it?
Rahman sb sb telecom operators ko ghar bhej k khud ki koi company bna k sims ghar deliver krna start kr den to best hai
Good
baray begairat hai ye kamina isay PTA lana hi nahi chaheye tha jab dil kea mobile band krwa day or itna pta nahi hota k khud k nic pey sim chal rhein hoti hein ye hamari kya hamdardi kray gay or logon ko berozgar kray ga jo mobile k shop walay hein
what if a stranger or unknown person comes to home & without your knowledge. wouldnt you be cautious , “dar jao k bhai kon agya ye hum ne to bulaya bhi nahi” & with time this practice might go on…
Two things are infinite: the universe and Abdul Rehman Malik’s stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe.
good steps taken to ensure our security….keep it up Malik Sahb.
Lets all have a go on who gets called what, why and what should we call them instead!
Malik Sahab Interior choor k Pakistan Post sambhal lain.
Hamara yaha Hidko mai kahawat hai jis k matlab hai ” NACHNA AATA NAI HAI R KHETAY HAIN K BARAMADA TAYRA HAI”