ISLAMABAD - After a long legal war between Ministry of IT & Telecom and Long Distance International (LDI) entities, the ministry has finally succeeded as the petitioner has withdrawn the petition against MoIT and PTA, meaning now overseas Pakistanis would enjoy low calling rates.
Anusha Rahman, Minister of State for IT & Telecom, said this during an in-camera meeting with media here Friday.
She said this would also help in increasing income to national exchequer and to overcome the security issues linked with grey trafficking of international calls.
The ministry had issued an ICH Policy Directive earlier in 2012 to restructure the way international telecom traffic is terminated into Pakistan. However, LDI had operators succeeded in getting stay against the policy through court. Subsequently, the petitioner withdrew the petition after a regular legal exercise, which was annulled by Supreme Court.
Anusha informed that the government has also withdrawn taxes of nearly Rs 20 million in folio of APS which will culminate into countering losses caused by grey traffic, worth nearly Rs 200 million.
Dr. Syed Ismail Shah, Chairman Pakistan Telecom Authority, on the occasion informed that 62.74 million SIMs have been verified through Biomatric Verification System (BVS) against 47.75 million CNICs, and 10.404 million SIMs have been blocked. “So far 73.14 million SIMs have been addressed,” he said adding that the deadline has been extended for the BVS.
He further informed that a separate verification system would soon be introduced for Overseas Pakistanis’ SIMs holders. Similarly, BVS for disabled and senior citizen will also be separated.