In accordance with the Peshawar High Court’s decision, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has initiated steps to ban the sale, purchase and use of Afghan-made subscriber identity modules (SIMs).
Through official sources, Pakistan Today came to know that the Home and Tribal Affairs Department has prepared a summary for the implementation of the PHC’s decision. The summary is now pending before the chief secretary and after his approval, the federal government will be approached for further action.
The PHC has recently ordered banning the sale, purchase and use of Afghan-made SIM cards. These SIM cards, according to the court decisions, are used by people involved in extortion, kidnapping for ransom and other criminal acts.
Not only common traders and businessmen but even people from doctors, teachers and lawyers have confirmed receiving demands for extortion. On such grounds, the PHC ordered the ban.
Sources said implementation of the decision in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is easy but it would need maximum efforts in the adjoining Federally Administrative Tribal Areas.