Controlling pre-paid mobile service: National Assembly body asks telecom sector to float proposals

The National Assembly Select Committee on Tuesday asked the telecom industry to come up with a proposal to control the pre-paid mobile service as pre-paid SIM cards are being used in terrorist activities and incidents of kidnapping for ransom.
The members of the select committee led by its Chairman Sohail Mansoor were shocked by the revelation of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) that millions of mobile numbers had same IMEI numbers.
Officials of FIA stated that millions of mobile phone sets with same IMEI numbers are being used in the country, which was making it difficult for them to track the people involved in cyber crimes. The meeting of the committee was held to discuss the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Bill presented by the telecom industry.
The committee expressed displeasure that Ministry of Information Technology was unable to complete the process of consultation on "The prevention of Electronic Crimes Bill, 2010," despite lapse of two years and directed the ministry to expedite the process.
The committee directed the Ministry to hold a meeting with law Ministry, FIA and cellular telecom operators in order to finalise the proposed draft and submit it to the committee within seven days.
The committee also expressed concern over the illegal sale of mobile SIM cards which was promoting terrorist activities in the country and directed that ministry to take up the issue with stakeholders to stop the issuance of illegal SIMs without proper identification.
The chairman and members of the committee were of the view that regulation of the pre-paid service was critical to address the increasing crime rate. The committee also proposed that any person's SIM card found involved in crime should be blacklisted by the mobile companies. The committee suggested that mobile companies convert pre-paid service into post-paid service by stopping all the pre-paid SIM cards. The pre-paid connections are being used as a tool by criminals for ransom, kidnapping and murder, added the committee.
Committee member Anusha Rehman of Pakistan Muslim League also opposed the different packages offered by mobile companies, saying that these have been negatively affecting the new generation.