Pakistan Bans Sale of Mobile Phones Without PTA Approval

Due to growing terrorism-related activities and security threats with the use of cellular devices, the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) has banned the sale of mobile phones without its prior approval.

The telecom regulatory authority sent a letter to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), instructing custom officials to ban consignments of cellular phones if specification details design and IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) have not been submitted by the importer to the PTA.

For all manufacturers and importers of cellular phones, submission of these specification details to the PTA has been made mandatory to get approval under section 29 of the Pakistan Telecommunications (Re-Organisation) Act, 1996.

PTA official confirmed that sale had been banned without the PTA’s approval of mobile phone type and IMEI number. He added that only PTA's approved consignments of cellular phones would get clearance at ports. 

All the concerned companies and custom officials have been informed that cellular phone manufacturers and importers are now bound to provide all technical details of the phones to the national regulator.

Cellular phones without IMEI numbers and their use in criminal activities made PTA take this strict decision of imposition of ban without its prior approval.