ISLAMABAD: More than 9,000 SIMs of non-filers have been blocked on the instructions of the Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR).
FBR spokesman said a meeting was held with the telephone companies in which the FBR informed the mobile companies about the decision to ban SIMs.
The spokesperson said that the decision to block the mobile phone SIMs of non-filers is the decision of the Parliament, the government's decision must be implemented in any case.
On the other hand, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has distanced itself from the issue of blocking SIMs.
It should be noted that 3500 SIMs of non-filers were closed yesterday as well.
Spokesperson FBR had said that around 3500 SIMs were blocked by two telecom companies, but the SIMs of the citizens who file the return will be restored immediately.
The spokesperson of FBR had said that a telecom company has taken stay-order from the Islamabad High Court.
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On the other hand, Islamabad High Court (IHC) stated that the decision of the federal government pertaining to block the SIMs of non-fillers remained in effect as the injunction of the court was not related to blocking the SIMs of non-filers.
Chief Justice Amir Farooq Malik of the IHC heard the case against the federal government’s decision to block the SIMs of non-filers.
The federal government has filed a separate petition seeking to lift the stay order on the proceedings against the mobile network companies.
At the onset of the hearing, the chief justice clarified that the stay order was solely to safeguard the petitioner and that the injunction was not to block the SIMs. Therefore, the decision of the federal government was still in effect.
The court further pledged to expedite the proceedings and adjourned the case till June.
