The cellular users will be held responsible under law if the SIM under his or her name is used in punishable offence therefore users are liable to block the SIM within 24 hours to the concerned operators if it is loss or theft.
PTA stated this in its recently issued “Subscribers Antecedents Verification Regulations” for cellular subscribers and operators that explained the registration and maintenance of accurate data of their users through proper documentation and complete verification by National Database Registration Authority (NADRA).
All cellular subscribers are responsible for the SIMs that are registered on their name, which shall not be misused for any fraudulent, unsolicited and obnoxious communications.
According to the regulation, the cellular subscribers shall be entitled to purchase maximum up to 10 SIMs of one operator provided that the data are verified properly, otherwise unverified and unnamed SIM will be blocked. The detail of subscribers and SIMs will be submitted to PTA on monthly basis by cellular operators.
The subscription of cellular services will be activated on the verification of CNIC details through NADRA. For below 18 year-old subscribers, one of the parents CNIC along with copy of B-form shall be submitted to authorized agents or seller of the SIM.
The foreign nationals shall obtain SIM after submission of passport and visa copy to the authorized agent of cellular operators. In case of alien, a photo copy of card issued by National Alien Registration Authority (NARA) with updates of additional information to be submitted to the authority time to time, the regulations said.
Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has said that cellular operators are sole responsible to sell SIM (subscriber Identity Module) to any individual by any means with assurance of complete verification of users antecedents at the time of activation.
The regulations stated that cellular operators shall be entitled to sell SIM(s) only through their customer service centers, franchises and authorized agents and their complete details will be provided to authority from time to time.
All sale agreement with customers shall be properly stamped by the authorized agent at time of SIM sale and purchase.
In case of non-compliance of regulations, the retailers and agents contract will be terminated by operators.
The operators will ensure the cleaning of old data of their subscribers after regular interval and upgrade the maintenance of subscribers’ data to submit it to the authority as current status.
The operators will ensure the confidentiality of all details disclosed by its subscribers.
PTA can inspect the record of cellular operators and their registered agents any time aimed at ensuring compliance of regulations as much as possible.
The burden of un-registered SIMs is now being shifted to their so-called owners, which were unlawfully sold by cellular operators, while PTA remained quite then.
For instance find below the 668 SIM information details for Aamir Attaa:
According to Aamir, he has 2 Ufone SIMs and 1 Telenor SIM. Other than this, he has never purchased Mobilink, Warid or Zong’s SIM, ever (unlike mentioned above – along with his data for Telenor and Ufone is incorrect).
However, these companies, in case of Aamir Attaa at least, un-lawfully sold SIMs to its customers (with fake registrations obviously), which means that operators should be held responsible for these un-law full sales – instead, PTA has shifted all the responsibility onto customer’s shoulders.
Now, according to up-mentioned regulation, all customers are supposed to visit service centers of all mobile companies to get their un-used (or say unlawful) SIMs blocked – this way they must clean the mess created by operators and PTA. Or in case of any terrorist activity, if their SIM is ever used, they must see the bars.
Important Note for Mobile Users:
Click on this link to download the copy of regulation (PDF File – 320 KB)
