Over 9,000 SIMS Of Non-Filers Blocked

FBR spokesperson says the SIMs of those who file the tax returns will be unblocked immediately.

Over 9,000 SIMS Of Non-Filers Blocked

Over 9,000 SIM cards belonging to non-filers have been disabled nationwide according to orders from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

In a meeting on Tuesday, the FBR notified the telecommunications firms of the decision to ban SIMs in order to combat tax fraud and boost revenue production in the face of bleak economic indicators, according to the FBR spokesperson.

"The decision has been made by parliament; therefore, the government's decision should be implemented in any case," he explained.

Meanwhile, sources say the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has distanced itself from SIM card banning. 

The authority asserts that it lacked the jurisdiction to ban the SIM cards.

On Tuesday, two telecom businesses blocked an additional 3,500 SIMs owned by non-filers, according to an FBR spokesperson. 

He further said that the SIMs of individuals who file tax returns will be unlocked promptly.

Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court (IHC), which is hearing a case involving orders to ban SIMs of non-filers, stated that the government's decision to block SIMs of non-filers remained in effect since the court's injunction was unrelated to blocking SIMs of non-filers. 

The court granted a stay order on the telecom firms' actions in response to a petition challenging the government's decision to ban SIMs.

The federal government has filed a separate petition seeking to lift the stay order on the proceedings against the mobile network companies.