President of All Pakistan Anjuman Tajran, Ajmal Baloch, has called for justice after millions of mobile phones were blocked despite tax payments.
Islamabad: Traders Demand Inquiry into Rs 9 Billion Phone Blocking Scandal by PTA“. Alongside prominent traders, he demanded an inquiry into the alleged embezzlement of 900 crores, urging honest officers to hold the culprits accountable. Failure to meet their demands by Tuesday will lead mobile phone retailers and dealers nationwide to surround the PTA office, they warned.
Read More: SIM cards of 3,500 users not filing tax returns blocked; Check more latest updates here
Speaking at a press conference at the National Press Club Islamabad, Baloch, along with other leaders, highlighted the plight of both users and shopkeepers, criticizing institutional failures. They questioned the government’s inaction regarding unapproved imports and demanded swift resolution. The traders emphasized the need for compensation and apologies to affected users and shopkeepers, urging the restoration of all blocked devices. Additionally, they commended the removal of corrupt individuals from the FBR and called for similar actions in other institutions to facilitate improvement. PTI leaders cautioned that failure to restore blocked phones would result in widespread protests, holding PTA officers responsible for any ensuing consequences.
Traders Demand Inquiry into Rs 9 Billion Phone Blocking Scandal by PTA”
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In an important development, telecom operators in Pakistan have apparently agreed to initiate a manual process of disabling the mobile SIMs of non-filers in small batches, blocking 5,000 tax evaders in the first phase, as per a post on X by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Friday.
The development comes a day after the GSM Association (GSMA), an international organisation that represents the interests of mobile network operators worldwide, expressed concern over the Income Tax General Order (ITGO) issued by the FBR on April 30, 2024 over blocking mobile sims of non-filers.
“FBR has held a series of significant meetings with Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and telecom operators across Pakistan to ensure effective implementation of Income Tax General Order No. 1, issued under Section 114B of the Income Tax Ordinance 2001.
“As a result, telecom operators have agreed to initiate the manual blocking process in small batches till their systems are fully equipped to automate it,” the FBR said in its post on X, formerly Twitter.
