AJ&K, GB: MoITT proposes extension of PECA implementation, SRO 904(I)/2017 for DIRBS

The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT) has proposed the extension of implementation of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016 and SRO 904(I)/2017 for Device Identification Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS) to Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB).
According to available documents, the Special Communication Organisation (SCO) has submitted PC-1 of the implementation of PECA, 2016 and SRO 904(I)/2017 for DIRBS (Project No II/2017-2018) in AJK and GB with the Planning Commission for consideration of Central Development Working Party (CDWP).
The estimated cost of the project is Rs 235 million and the SCO has demanded the amount under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for 2019-20. The project is expected to be completed in one year.
The DIRBS has been operational in Pakistan and according to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), illegal mobile handsets that do not come with a valid International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number will be blocked after expiry of deadline.
According to the policy, a mobile phone would not be blocked automatically for 60 days and one has to register it with the PTA during this period after paying duty/taxes (in case more than one phone), as well as one mobile phone is allowed duty free per year but in addition one has to pay taxes.
The SCO has also forwarded PC-1 of another project 'Expansion of Cellular Services in AJ&K ad GB Phase-III (Project No II/2019-2020)' for consideration of CDWP. Under the project, 150 new cellular sites would be established in AJ&K and GB for expansion of cellular services. The estimated cost of project is Rs 6.514 billion and the MoITT has demanded Rs 3.031 billion under the PSDP 2019-202. The project would take more than one year to complete.
The SCO has forwarded PC-1 of Phase-II of Pak-China Optical Fibre Cable Project for establishment of Cross Border Network (Khunjrab-Gawadar-Karachi) along China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) routes.
Pakistan and China have agreed to extend cross-border optic fibre network by laying 9600km cable (Khunjrab-Gawadar-Karachi) along the CPEC routes with estimated cost of $279.219 million. According to official documents, the project would cost around $279.219 million with a ratio of 85 percent loan (China) and 15 percent (Pakistan).
Under the project, 9,600km OFC for Phase-II of Paki-China OFC Project would be laid for establishment of cross border of network (Khunjrab-Gawadar-Karachi) along the CPEC routes. The project would be completed in four years. The documents further revealed that the SCO has demanded Rs 779.279 million under the PSDP 2019-20.
It is worth mentioning here that the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication was informed around one year ago that Phase-II of the project was endorsed by then prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi; however, the IT Ministry had maintained that there are some legal issues due to which the SCO could not be allowed to proceed with it.
The first phase of Optical Fibre Cable Project, worth $44 million, directly connecting Pakistan and China has been completed under the CPEC framework. China provided 85 percent of the finances for the project while the remaining 15 percent were provided by the government of Pakistan. Under the first phase, 820km long cable between Rawalpindi and Khunjrab was laid down and the project was assigned to the SCO.