PTA Stopped from Blocking Non-Compliant Phones After 20th October

The Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology barred Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) from blocking non-compliant/invalid mobile phones.

The parliamentary panel sought a briefing from PTA regarding its decision to block un-registered IMEI mobile phones after October 20, while raising questions on non-action against dealers/importers, and delay in implementation of policy directives.

The committee also recommended for non-blocking of un-registered IMEI mobile phones even after October 20 which are currently working, but proposed blocking of non-compliant/invalid mobile phones, new sale/purchase after the due date.

The committee met with Rubina Khalid in the chair here on Tuesday where the matter of a message being circulated by PTA regarding PTA non-compliant devices being dysfunctional after 20 October 2018 was discussed. The Committee sought more details on the issue from PTA.

The Committee asked PTA to consider the fact that not all of the 150 million mobile users can understand this message and do not have enough time to check the status of their phones or cannot afford to buy new phones altogether.

The committee also raised questions over DIRBS. They wanted to know how a system worth millions of rupees was procured and who sponsored it.

PTA officials submitted that the move was taken as per the Telecom Policy, on which the committee objected that why the policy was not implemented earlier. Senator Mian Muhammad Ateeq Shaikh termed it a move against the PTI-led government.


  • Not a good decision to stop DIRBS, it’s a nice system to keep the things smooth and legal in this territory.

  • When a Jahil pays “carores of ruppees” to become a senator, this is what you expect out of these illiterate morons

    • on top of that pakistan lost million of rupees every year due to the phones being imported from grey market , if they bring a system in which that phones can be pta approved by paying 20-25% of the phones price , i think it will not hurt anyone , cheers

      • we pay nearly 35 percent high price due to tax,dealer’s and shop keeper’s cut…. mobile phone prices also decrease monthly internationally and thus a huge price difference is seen in the official local market and a grey channel shop

        • grey market is still cheaper than regular shops lets see what they come up with, but this thing should be done way back ,

          • I am not against these grey market phones but I am against devices which have tempered IMEI. PTA should only block devices which have fake imei.

            • and how do you check which device have a tempered imei ? there is no system in place to check the phones with fake or tempered imei right ?

                • that websites are for user not for PTA, The idea is to identify the fake imei, By registering imei’s in the pta database, so if a device is which have fake imei or tempered one can be blocked by PTA.

                  • do u even know how imei is generated or registered? do u even know what is pta compatible device is? have u ever obtained noc from pta for phone import?

  • Cigarette pay tax laga do lekin DIRBS ko implement hony do , because it is good for us and nation

  • I bought a infinix phone with PTA approved logo… when I checked it on the pta’s website even it was not registered in PTA’s database and I was asked to put sim in each slot and make a revenue generating activity so it can be registered on the database…. so the moral of the story is that official dealers were involved in the smuggling of devices?

  • What should we say about these illiterate so called “senators”?
    OMG, read this objection once again please; the committee objected that why the policy was not implemented earlier?
    I believe that these are the real smugglers and are protecting their businesses.

  • playing with 22 cror pakistani minds! PTA are you kidding? before launch of any serious notice you must discuss everything but so call idiots! pathetic!

  • Senate committees are just hogwash. They are meant to distribute money and benefits to political rivals/cronies who would otherwise be ‘unemployed’ :D
    PTA DIRBS final block before 20 October is still a go. It was made into a law in September 2017 last year. A foolish one thinks its a ploy against PTI lol.

  • I smell a rat here. It’s obvious that the grey channel is being operated by powerful people who give cuts to those in charge. Sab ke khanchay band ho jayegay that’s why they r delaying this action.

  • dont know if they have made the right move. there are many phone dealers who possess a large quantity of handset that are not registered and if DIRBS gets implemented it will be loss for them.

    but than if i look at the senators all i can see votes and easy money from dealers (part of gift of-course) for not getting this bill approved

  • and one more thing if we all recall, one big shot of PPP was involved in grey traffic exchange in Islamabad.
    Yai politicians kachi game nahi khailtay

  • This solution will not work and It should be a stopped. To do this big product in country level, they would have launched a tender/RFP so many vendors can come and present there solution which didn’t happen. It was an internal deal to launch it with a vendor that doesn’t have experience in doing it in a right way even. Lot of issues are coming up and more will arise.

  • This solution will not work and It should be stopped. To do this big product in a country level, they would have launched a tender/RFP so many vendors can come up and present their solution which didn’t happen. It was an internal deal to launch it with a vendor that doesn’t have experience in doing it in a right way even. Lot of issues are coming up and more will arise.

  • “The Committee asked PTA to consider the fact that not all of the 150 million mobile users can understand this message and do not have enough time to check the status of their phones or cannot afford to buy new phones altogether.”

    I totally agree with this point. Although I am a Software Engineer myself but I know that there are a lot of people who don’t even have any clue what all this fuss is about. It would be better if PTA should inform the nation that:
    After October 20, 2018 all the current cell phones will work properly and only new phones which don’t comply to PTA’s policies will be blocked.

  • Good move to bar PTA from showing “Phurti”

    One week time is too little for such high impact initiative by PTA though it is good in long term.

    At least 4 to 6 weeks time should be given to users/subscribers to understand and comply. There should not be any deadline for “Valid” IMEI.

  • Good to bar PTA from showing “Phurti” though DIRBS is good initiative in long term.

    1 week time is too little for user/subscriber to understand and comply. At least 4 to 6 weeks were enough.

    Also, Valid IMEI should have no deadline and must not be blocked.

  • “Users cannot afford to buy new phone” – PTA DIRBS FAQs: You dont need to buy a new phone, PTA will register your IMEI if you do any revenue generating activity (Send a Sms/Call or use Internet) before 20th Oct.

    PS) PTA should clarify this in their advertisements. Senete Commitee should also check FAQs on PTA’s website or try to gather information on their own before stopping an initiative because of their “assumptions” about a program.

    “Users do not have enough time to check the status of their phones ” – Ye itney masroof user hum ne aj tak zindagi me nai dekhey k jinke pas sms ka time na ho :|

    “committee objected that why the policy was not implemented earlier”
    Committee be like: Pehle Q implement nai hui? Pehle ni hui to ab hum b isey nai hone dein ge.

  • The best change by PTA
    Let see more than an implimentation from the GOP means the Changers
    If thay went to school

  • Poor reporting.No such proceedings have been reported by Standing Committee or PTA. I have personally checked with both. Oh and yes! A Standing Committee does not have the jurisdiction to stop PTA. Go learn what a standing committee is!. Shame on you for lying.


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