Islamabad
Apropos a news item titled “CMOs block 58M handsets on telecom Authority’s directives” published in Pakistan Observer on 3rd February 2020, it is clarified that the figure of 58 million blocked handsets is incorrect. The assumption that DIRBS has hampered the growth of mobile broadband users in Pakistan is also false. It is regretted that the newspaper or the reporter did not contact Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) for official version which could have made the news item balanced and accurate. To this date, PTA has blocked a total of 50 million devices. This includes 32 million GSMA valid and 18 Million non-standard i.e. non-compliant devices. Such devices were brought into Pakistan through grey channels causing security issues and revenue loss to the Government of Pakistan.—PR