Pakistan to Increase Penalty for Handling Stolen Mobile Phones

Pakistan's telecoms regulator has asked the government to pass a new law and permit imprisonment for up to 49 years for handling stolen mobile phones. The regulator has been clamping down on the sale of unregistered mobile phones, and the move is thought to be related people having short term access to SIM cards in stolen phones prior to being cut off when reported stolen.

"On approval of the suggested amendments the accused could be sentenced 49 years imprisonment, or with fine which may extend to ten million rupees [US$125,000] or with both," Chairman PTA Dr. Muhammad Yasin told a Sub-Committee of Senate Standing Committee on Interior.

The Chairman also confirmed that the operators will stop dispatching pre-activated PrePay SIM cards to dealers before the end of this year. In future, all SIM cards sold will need to be activated after the sale, and only upon provision of the necessary proofs of identity.

Pakistan's telecoms regulator said in October that it had blocked some 10.5 million SIM cards after their users failed to register their ownership details with the mobile operators. Dr. Yaseen expressed at the time some concerns that many retailers were still flouting the rules requiring proof of id before selling new SIMs.

According to figures from the Mobile World database, the country ended September with some 90.2 million subscribers - representing a population penetration level of 52%.

Posted to the site on 16th November 2008