Interior Minister Rehman Malik has clarified that the government has no intention of blocking all unregistered SIMs immediately as it would inconvenience users and negatively impact revenue.
He made the announcement in an interview with Radio Pakistan on Thursday.
Malik said that a meeting of all stakeholders would be convened to finalise a strategy on how to deal with the issue of SIMs issued against fake identity cards.
The minister proposed that SIMs should be verified with a thumb impression of applicants through National Database and Registration Authority’s (NADRA) database. He said the issue of SIMs would be resolved keeping in view foreign investment and the interests of cellular operators. However, he vowed that a mechanism would be devised to ensure that mobile phones are not used as tool for terrorist activities.
On Tuesday, Malik had said that the government was planning to block pre-paid SIMs issued on fake national identity cards in order to prevent possible use in terrorist activities.
Malik also addressed the government’s decision to suspend cellular services in multiple cities around the country on Eidul Fitr. He claimed there would have been many acts of terrorism if cellular service had not been suspended.
The interior minister added that the government had concrete information on a conspiracy to destabilise the country, adding that the plan was foiled through effective coordination between intelligence and law enforcement agencies.
Speaking on the Naran tragedy in which 19 people were killed on August 16, he called it a terrorist act and not a sectarian incident as those killed included both Shias and Sunnis. Malik said he spoke to the chief minister Gilgit-Baltistan regarding the tense situation in the area. The chief minister conveyed three demands of the people which were granted. They include: provision of police escort to passenger traffic for Gilgit-Baltistan, compensation to the heirs of all those who lost their lives and an increase in the number of PIA flights to the region.
Addressing the deteriorating situation in Balochistan, the interior minister commented that it had improved following his detailed briefing to the Senate. He also used the opportunity to once again extend an offer to estranged Baloch leaders to return to the country on their own terms. He added that they should return to Balochistan if they are genuinely interested in serving their people.
Asked to comment on the reported statement of a Taliban spokesman that they would retaliate if an operation was launched in North Waziristan, the minister said they do so at the insistence of someone else. He added that it is known that Maulana Fazlullah and Maulvi Faqir are operating from Kunar province in Afghanistan.
“It would not have been possible for them to carry out attacks on this side of the border, martyr our people and take back their own injured without active foreign support,” said Malik.
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