The Ministry of Information Technology has finalized its policy for giving smartphones in installments to citizens, a move that enforces the blocking of phones for those who default on their payments.
Sources told ProPakistani that the policy, which has garnered agreement from all mobile companies, is aimed at curbing the misuse of mobile phones by defaulters.
Under the proposed policy, defaulters who fail to pay their installment dues will have their mobile phones blocked. This decision is part of a collaborative effort with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and is expected to be implemented under the Device Identification Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS).
Sources mentioned that the PTA will take the lead in blocking phones instead of relying on mobile companies to enforce this measure. While the decision to block unauthorized SIMs and ID cards is expected to be addressed later, the current focus remains on blocking mobile phones of defaulters. The DIRBS system, already in use for blocking unauthorized or smuggled devices, will be employed for this purpose, sources added.
To formalize the policy, the Ministry of Information Technology plans to send it to the Law Ministry for thorough vetting. Once vetted, the policy will then be submitted to the federal cabinet for approval. The PTA will subsequently take charge of implementing the policy, ensuring that defaulters face consequences for non-payment of installments.
It is worth noting that the PTA had previously requested the formulation of a policy to address the issue of defaulters and block mobile phones as a means of enforcement.
