Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has addressed concerns about revenue loss due to blocking non-tax paid phones. In a statement released on Thursday, the PTA emphasized that the national treasury hasn’t suffered any financial setback from this action.
The authority clarified the role of the Device Identification Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS). DIRBS registers all valid mobile devices after taxes and duties are paid to the Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR). Only approved devices can function on Pakistani mobile networks. Additionally, DIRBS routinely identifies and blocks cloned, duplicated, or untaxed phones.
In March 2024, DIRBS flagged 1,934 devices as untaxed. To minimize inconvenience, users received multiple alerts requesting proof of payment through the PTA’s Complaint Management System. However, on May 4th, 2024, devices without verified tax payments were blocked.
The PTA dismissed media reports suggesting revenue loss, highlighting that 248 of the blocked devices have been unblocked after users paid the necessary taxes to FBR. The statement also revealed that the government has collected a significant sum, Rs. 63 billion, in taxes and duties solely from individual handset registrations.
