Lahore High Court (LHC) has rejected the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) reply in a case related to the illegal sale of mobile SIM cards.
During the hearing, Justice Ali Zia Bajwa expressed strong dissatisfaction over the PTA’s inability to curb the practice.
He directed the PTA Chairman to submit a comprehensive and detailed response at the next hearing. The proceedings were attended by the Director of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), Hashmat Kamal and other officials.
Justice Bajwa instructed Hashmat Kamal to provide further details and research findings, noting that the issue falls within his area of expertise and requires deeper investigation.
The NCCIA Director informed the court that over 58,000 illegal SIM cards had been recovered. He added that 183 individuals involved in the unlawful activity had been arrested, and relevant cases registered.
Justice Bajwa acknowledged the operational challenges faced by the cybercrime agency, particularly in remote areas and urban neighborhoods where illegal SIMs are openly sold.
The court, however, sharply questioned the PTA’s counsel, observing that criminals were being issued SIMs through official channels.
Justice Bajwa remarked that almost everyone, including himself, had received unsolicited messages linked to the Benazir Income Support Programme, reflecting the PTA’s failure to control illegal issuance.
The court also asked whether the PTA had taken any action or issued show-cause notices to mobile companies involved in such irregularities.
While hearing the bail plea of a suspect in the illegal SIMs case, the court adjourned further proceedings until next week.