ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has opposed Federal Board of Revenue’s proposal to block mobile SIMs of non-tax return filers.

The PTA has written to the FBR saying that it is not legally bound to implement the SIM blocking order and that SIM blocking is not compatible with our framework.

The PTA said in the letter that only 27 percent of women in Pakistan use sims drawn in their own names and the remaining women and children use sims in the names of male family members.

PTA wrote in the letter that banning SIMs will also affect e-commerce and transactions.

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The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has rejected the FBR’s request to ban SIMs and suggested some other course of action.

Earlier, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has said that it has received the Federal Board of Revenue’s letter regarding blocking the SIMs of those who do not submit income tax returns.

Officials of PTI said that FBR’s letter was received through email on Monday evening and they will review the letter and take a decision on it.

It should be remembered that the FBR had issued an income tax general order to block the mobile phones of more than 66,000 people.