On Friday, the federal government resolved to take legal action against any telecom operator or other entities that obstruct the deactivation of mobile phone SIMs belonging to over half a million people who have not filed taxes.
This resolution came about during a visit by Federal Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb to the headquarters of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). The Attorney General of Pakistan, Mansoor Usman Awan, also attended the meeting.
Government representatives reported that the FBR had informed the finance minister about plans to deactivate the mobile phone SIMs of 506,671 people. These individuals were not on the active taxpayer list, yet were required to file their income tax returns for 2023.
During the discussion, officials also brought up the issue of the PTA not cooperating fully due to pressure from telecom operators to enforce this decision.
It was decided that the government would take action against anyone attempting to hinder the process of integrating these non-filers into
the tax system.
During the meeting, the finance minister informed attendees that the army chief supported the decision to block the SIMs of non-filers, emphasizing that there was no justification for opposing this action.
In a press release, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) recommended finding a middle ground between the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) initiative to disable SIMs and safeguard the investments of telecom operators.
The statement said:
Our foremost objective is to uphold compliance within [the] regulatory framework and relevant legal provisions while safeguarding the interests of telecom consumers.
Despite the government’s plan to disable the SIMs of over half a million individuals, no restrictions are preventing these people from purchasing new ones.
Source: Pro Pakistani