Government Goes Brainsick, Asks Cellular Operators to Shut Down All Sales Channels

world-telecom-dayGovernment of Pakistan yesterday went to its limits to tell the world that they can do anything in any vector to show their incompetence.

They can not only nullify the corruption of hundreds of politicians and bureaucrats worth billions of dollars through NRO but they can also waste three years of this nation in just deciding if to write a letter to Swiss government or not.

As, Asad, the TV actor says, Pakistan is a place where a certified, convicted person can be president and those who build roads and bridges with taxpayers’ money reap the credit by publishing advertisements in newspapers – that again with public money. They use this tax money as their inheritance and act like dons of the worlds.

This is the same government that yesterday issued a directive to cellular operators to shut-down their sales channels, without thinking for a moment about millions of Pakistanis who will deprived of their food due to a mindless decision taken by a ruthless government.

Operators tell me that they were notified by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority yesterday to revoke all SIMs available in stock with franchisees and retailors and not to sell SIMs through these channels again after December 1st, 2012.

Operators tell me this decision, if implemented, will impact at least 500,000 retailors throughout the country that will go business-less and at least 10,000 employees at franchisees to go job-less. Major chunk of sales staff of cellular companies will remain on brink of losing jobs.

Accumulative total of at least 5 million Pakistanis will become food-less, if government’s this decision is implemented.

New customers’ acquisition will become absolute, and subscribers will have to wait for weeks to get new SIMs, as SIMs will be delivered to their CNIC addresses only. Those with difference current and CNIC addresses can expect further difficulty in obtaining new SIM.

Headquarters of cellular companies abroad (those who are real investors) are speechless at this aimless decision. They are clueless.

This decision, if implemented, will change the whole dynamics of cellular industry. The way it is supporting national economy, the investment, jobs, liaison, vendors, marketing and everything else will be impacted. This decision, if implemented, will kill the businesses.

Like Bibi said: Democracy is Best Revenge

Tech and telecom reporter for over 15 years


  • As a user I see these benefits of sim home delivery: number badalanay walon, tang karnay walo ke kami, buray logo ke phone per kami :)

    As a company I see: new customers main significant kami, kai kisam ke marketing strategies flop.

    As a shop dealer i see: dukan dari main kami, wo dealers to pehlay he gareeb hotay hain :( rizk to home delivery say bhi kai ka lagay ga laiken phir bhi …

  • It’s very easy to put the complete blame on the government. While nothing can justify this move, I think that this post should also have highlighted what “alternatives” the operators have in mind. Some measures might already have been put in place, but they are clearly not enough. Though I haven’t seen the toolkit myself, GSMA has some guidelines available for operators having subscriber registration issues (currently becoming a common issue). Could be worth exploring: http://www.gsma.com/mobileidentity/resources/

  • I think if address verification is important, it should be altered a bit. Give SIM to customers as they are doing today, and then send a verification to the address, if address is not confirmed in 2 to 4 weeks, block the SIM.

  • Sending Sims At Home ….. Ok, I Agree With This Decission.

    But What About Those People Residing On Rent ( Excluding Responsible Citizens ), Criminals Mostly Reside Homes On Rent ?

    ….. And ‘ Pro Pakistani ‘ Please Share Any Information About ‘ Smart NIC Card ‘ Launched By NADRA. Is It Mandatory To Get Or Can We Continue Our Simple Lives With CNIC ?

  • I think they liked it on Eid! So please accept 160 million middle fingers AGAIN Rehman Malik, PTA, Govt and the dog with mustache.

  • “10,000 employees at franchisees to go job-less” Very sad step taken by govt. Who will be responsible for those unfortunate families of 10,000 employees?

  • While reporting anything please don’t give ur views…you should present the story in a neutral way….the way you have started the article actually shows your incompetence…. by saying that i dont support u or govt or anybody

    • It’s Amir’s blog. He can express his views over here. It’s his right. No one is putting a gun on your head to read something that you don’t like. Just close the page my man.

      We as a nation are getting into a habit of NOT calling spade a spade. We like to keep neutral or “Politically correct”. People like these don’t change destinies. They just sit in the couch and do nothing. Don’t be like them.

      • and its my comments and its my right. No one is putting gun on your head to read something that you don’t like. Just close scroll down and don’t see my comments.. Chill boi dont get angry ;)

        • No one can put a gun on your “bhoosa” without reading your comments first. This is a blog, not a news channel or newspaper website, understand the difference first.

    • It is a blog not a news. I hope you can better differentiate b/w them. Conbey your suggestion to news casters on Channels.

    • Any sensible person will give his/her opinion against this decision of government. 2nd Aamir isn’t running a newspaper website for you, he has his views & has every right to say it like you and me not just because he owns this very informative website but also because he is a neutral person & is very right here.

  • Right thing done in wrong way and wrong time. Last few months of current govt and they are trying hard to get some money from Telcos. another way of robbing the foreign investor.

  • This article was a perfect example of your immaturity & it was the worst ever post on pro pakistani. Ethics of a news blog & Ethics of Pro Pakistani were raped by none other than Aamir Attaa himself. Whatever u said was almost true but you weren’t supposed to say so.

    I fully support the decision if it really helps reducing terrorism bcoz nothing can be more important than a human life whether its a political campaign on ProPakistani or business loss of billions of dollars. Nobody can be allowed to earn a shitload of dollars when the blood of innocent people is at stake. Being a civilized nation there should be no problem waiting for a week to get a SIM when we know its going to save priceless lives & moreover we all know the evils of having multiple SIM Cards.

    GREAT DECISION INDEED

    • Thank you for your feedback.

      There is thing called rant. It was a rant, if you could get it. Expressing opinion is my right, exactly the way you expressed yourself.

      For unbiased, factual reporting, history and how illegal SIMs got into our system – you can see this article of mine here: https://propakistani.pk/2012/08/24/block-prepaid-sims-wrap-up-businesses-and-go-back-home-part-2/

      This is not the solution. This will lead us to nowhere. I am preparing more posts on the topic, in which you will see why banning SIMs on retailers’ shop isn’t a good decision.

    • You’re quite naive to think that by ignoring root causes of terrorism we’ll get peace in Karachi. Stopping sims will NOT even dent terrorism in Karachi. SHOW ME even one example in the world where terrorism was stopped by stopping legitimate business from functioning i.e. stopping all retail channels of sims. .

      Azeem
      http://ibmuet.wordpress.com/

    • Amir can say whatever he likes. You can do yourself a favor and click the close button and move on to something that you like.

    • I can just laugh at your comment “Being a civilized nation there should be no problem waiting for a week to get a SIM when we know its going to save priceless lives & moreover we all know the evils of having multiple SIM Cards.”

    • Hey you Ali … You nuts … How about your company lay you off … AND this act will save lives … O please … This act will kill the industry, affect countless people in a way that they will come out of their homes are start killing others for food. AND who the fuck is Rehman Malik to direct a body which is autonomous & not at all related to his stupid ministry. SOMEONE please file a law suit against this “Naee Ka Bacha” so that he could stop murdering businesses all around. Jis ka dil karta hey Mun utha kar bolney lagta hey.

  • So Aamir Attaa which Political party do u want us to cast vote? Where was the element of Neutrality in this post??? if i’ll have to wait for a week to get a sim for a couple of times in my life and its going to eradicate terrorism i would happily accept it. Grow up Bro and fear the moment when u see the deadbody of someone u love!

    • There is no such stupid thing as “neutrality” in the whole world. Each of us is BIASED. Don’t become an idiot/zombie by being neutral. Pick a side you think is right and then stick to it. BE POLITICAL

    • Again, stopping sims will NOT even dent terrorism in the country when terrorists are the in the ruling party of Karachi and Pakistan.

  • Also think about the current cellular subscribers in Pakistan. This ruling impacts telcos very heavily in terms of their revenues. If they no longer see Pakistan an an environment where they can operate for profits, or where the regulatory regime is so fickle that it is not worth operating, then they will wind up and go home or go somewhere else. THEN you have thousands of jobs lost, MILLIONS of customers who have to go out and get new SIMs and BILLIONS of license/tax money evaporated.

    I wonder if Rehman Malik has thought about any repercussions here. I only await to see the rationale here. I know the idiots in the government have no brains, but I would have expected better from the PTA who should NOT expect any more awards on being such a facilitating regulator at any forums any time soon.

  • While a lot of people will lose jobs over this decision, I would not call this decision ‘mindless’. It is not a whimsical decision. Nor does it have anything to do with corruption as no one will have monetary gain over this decision. Thanks to this decision, people will be unable to buy multiple sims for organising terrorist activities. It wont stop the terrorism entirely but it shall be reduced dramatically. If I was given a choice between killing a person and making an employed familyman lose his job, id make the man lose his job. You should try to consider all vectors before voicing an opinion.

  • Even by their standards, this was way too stupid. They’re trying to bring down the only profitable sector in Pakistan now. I don’t wish to sound like a conspiracy theorist but there seems to be more than meets the eye here.

  • Government can do even more…..why the industry is sleeping and doing nothing. I haven’t seen a single news item from any of the effected operator till now. They are not united; they should take guidance from CNG station owners :)

  • Honestly, if you give a razor to monkey, what do you expect? This SOB has literally failed in keeping things in order ( specially in Karachi ) and just for the sake of showing his performance, he is doing these brainless, clueless actions. This is like, if you cannot control pimples on your face, remove your face!

    My two cents for the nation, HOOR CHOOPOO.. bibi zinda hai!

  • Why Don’t These Idiots (Telecom Operators) Follow The Rules From Day First Rather Call Such Decisions A Blunder While Hiding There Mistakes, If You Talk About The Rest Of The World Then I Must Say You Have Lac Of Awareness regarding What Is The Pattern Of Mobile Sim Issuance In Rest Of The World, Please Don’t Show Your Idiotic Approach with Such Kind Of Articles.

    I fully Endorse To Curb Such Kind Of Sale, Ban On Prepaid, Night Packages etc…

  • Yes, Great decision. We have to save our nation from self destruction.it takes one untraceable sim and phone worth fw hundred rupees ti kill hundreds of Pakistani citizens.some body must come out any other safe solution. As for Cellular Companies they have profited Trillions. Look at the multiple repeated ads they on TV channels. 90% adds on TV Commercials are from these companies who take away billions of Dollars every year in profits from a poor country.

  • What a hell is going on in Pakistan. I will loudly say Musharaff was quite better than these uneducated so called Politicians. Musharraf brought all these facilities for common man but since this government is in power, things are going back and back. HEC is dumped in garbage, Banking sector is rolled back, 3G (although outdated tech for world now) is still under discussion only, State bank is powerless again, Media is in corrupt hands…only n only social media is left that is growing with own power and US based futuristic companies. NetSol kind of world level companies are threatened by imposing tax on exports of softwares… Where we are heading…I think towards SHIT only.


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