ISLAMABAD ( MEDIA REPORT )
National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology said SIMs used in grey trafficking create problems in the military operation Zarb-e-Azb regarding identification of a person.
FIA officials informed the committee that grey trafficking was being used for terrorists financing and it is difficult to trace, as it can only be traced from mobile towers. Committee Chairman Mohammad Safdar said that SIMs used in grey trafficking are causing difficulties in the operation Zarb-e-Azb by making it difficult to trace suspects. He recommended increasing efforts to control grey trafficking and making the operation against terrorists a success.
Officials of the FIA said it was looking grey trafficking from different angles including financial terrorism and teasing women and how people making money. However due to significant decline in prices, grey trafficking is no more beneficial. Now the FIA was not looking after benefit from grey trafficking but search for terrorism financing. Minister of State for Information Technology Anusha Rehman said that an inquiry has been started into grey trafficking, however, despite evidence, a company involved in grey trafficking were given a clean chit.
Due to poor prosecution system, such companies and operators get clean chit, which is very disturbing, said the minister. Safdar said grey trafficking was causing huge amount to national exchequer, however after the directives of the prime minister, the menace has been controlled. He also claimed that big fish were behind the grey traffic, based in the Pakistan, Dubai, etc. The minister informed the committee that grey trafficking was increased after the implementation of International Clearing House (ICH).
After the withdrawal of ICH policy and de-regulation of the market, call rates declined significantly which resulted in low margin, hence white trafficking increased. The rates of incoming international calls have now reduced from 8.8 US cents/mm to 1.2 US cents/mm, resulting in eradication of financial incentive for grey traffickers. Legal/white international incoming traffic increased from less 375 million minutes/month to 1.57 billion in October, 2015.
However ministry expressed inability to totally control grey trafficking in the country, resulting in huge financial losses and serious security threats. “It is not possible to 100 percent eliminate grey traffic as 4-5 percent grey trafficking is acceptable worldwide. Secretary IT said that prosecution has its own importance and effective punishment is needed to overcome grey trafficking in the country. Minister said that the offence has been included in the cyber law. She said that an estimated loss of $4 billion was incurred during 2012-14 during the period of ICH policy due to grey trafficking.
Cases have been filed with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). Chairman PTA said that SIMs being used in fake message with the name of BISP is being blocked while those CNICs are blacklisted. Director General Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Akbar Hoti revealed that mobile companies in the far flung areas are allegedly issuing one SIM to people have little know how about SIMs while verifying five times while keep four SIMs with themselves and allegedly issue others.
He said that a total of 268 FIRs were registered during 2009-15, 401 persons were arrested, loss of Rs 3,356.886 million were averted to the national exchequer and 29 people were convicted. During 2015 64 FIRs were registered, 91 people were arrested, Rs 68.64 million loss to national exchequer were averted and 24 people were convicted. The committee directed PTA chairman to ask telecom operators to brief the panel about its expansion program, business etc in the country. PTA chairman said that industry is in difficult time due to some issues.
Further it is private sector and may not come. MNA Talal Chaudhry asked committee chairman issue arrest warrant, if they refuse to attend the committee meeting. Farhana Qamar backed PTA chairman while saying that telecom is a private sector and it would not good precedent to ask for attending the committee meeting. The committee chairman said “we are just asking them to brief the committee about its work and will also hear their problems”. The minister said that all these raids are meaningless, if people get released due to poor prosecution.