The Supreme Court on Thursday directed Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to install system for preventing grey trafficking in Pakistan. A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, was hearing a suo motu notice of operation/running of illegal grey telecommunication traffic causing loss of billions of rupees to the national kitty and posing potential threat to the national security.
Director General (Cyber Vigilance) PTA Nisar Ahmed informed that a new setup for web monitoring is needed to be installed for preventing grey trafficking in Pakistan. He informed that process for installing system started in February 2017 but due to reservations of the JAZZ Company, it was delayed. However, after removing their concerns when the telecom companies were asked to contribute for purchasing the system then except the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL), other mobile companies had contributed for the purchase of monitoring system.
The Chief Justice then asked the DG PTA, DG IB, DG FIA, Additional Attorney General, and PTCL lawyer to sit in one of the rooms of the apex court and sort out the contribution issue. After holding the discussion for one hour, the DG PTA and the PTCL lawyer informed that the matter is resolved and the PTCL will now contribute for the purchase of the system.
Nisar Ahmed informed the bench that within three weeks the process for purchasing system would start and it would be installed within five months. The Chief Justice directed the DG PTA to file the report after installing the system.
Director General Intelligence Bureau (IB) also placed report regarding the grey trafficking. He informed that on account of the steps taken by the IB visible decrease i.e. 25 per cent has taken place in preventing grey trafficking. He requested the court to direct the PTA to share numbers of those SIMs which are blocked in view of the suspect activity. The court directed the PTA to cooperate with the IB.
The Chief Justice observed that that the country has faced huge financial losses due to grey trafficking. Justice Ijazul Ahsan said that the PTA whose job is to control the grey trafficking has become ineffective as it blocks the SIMs many days after filing of the complaint.