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In the doldrums, FBR’s decision to block non-filers’ SIMs

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8 months ago

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The telecom operators have written to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and the Ministry of Information Technology to express their concerns and legal limitations with respect to the blocking of 500,000 SIM cards belonging to non-filers.

The letter highlights that, as required by the Telecom Act, telecom providers must offer customers uninterrupted services. It emphasizes that abruptly disabling mobile SIMs is against the law and could lead to impacted customers suing.

They contend that the decision undermines the rights of taxpayers and the telecom sector since it does not provide a thorough analysis of constitutional and legal issues.

The letter urges transparency in the application of tax legislation and pushes for adherence to current legal standards prior to the termination of SIMs.

Furthermore, it emphasizes the significance of educated public debate and urges for a mass media effort to increase knowledge of the prohibition on non-filers.

The telecom sector has urged the FBR to reevaluate the implementation of the Income Tax General Order (ITGO) in light of legal difficulties and consumer rights, emphasizing the need for transparency and adherence to legal procedures in the enforcement of tax laws.

The PTA argued against the blocking of nearly 500,000 tax non-filers’ SIM cards last week.

PTA said that barring these SIMs would not be consistent with their system in a letter to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

PTA observed that many women use cellphone SIM cards that are linked to men’s names. They declared that there are no limitations on the new SIMs that are issued to non-filers.

The process for returning the SIM cards of people who are subject to taxes was also questioned by the telecommunications authorities.

The authorities made it clear that they are not required by law to block SIM cards, and that doing so would be detrimental to the telecom industry and digitalization.

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Maintaining Fertiliser Price Stability: The Need for a Continuous Gas Supply to the Fertiliser Sector

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5 days ago

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To guarantee fertiliser price stability, a cabinet committee meeting was presided over by Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar, the deputy prime minister.

Senior government officials, including Industries Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain, attended the meeting.

The attendees received an update on the government’s, gas suppliers’, and fertiliser industry’s conversations. Additionally, the gas supply for the fertiliser sector was evaluated and determined to be adequate.

Throughout the Rabi cropping season, the Deputy Prime Minister ordered the fertiliser industry to maintain a continuous gas supply in order to guarantee steady production and stock levels.

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Fifth Straight Cut: PM Applauds SBP’s Policy Rate Reduction

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5 days ago

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Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has praised the State Bank of Pakistan’s decision to lower its policy rate by an additional 2 percent, stating that the bank’s current 13 percent rate is encouraging for the nation’s economy.

He expressed optimism in a statement that the policy rate cut would encourage investment and further boost investor confidence in the country’s economy.

The prime minister said that decreasing the inflation rate also lowered the policy rate and that future inflation rate reductions will be even more pronounced.

Additionally, he expressed gratitude to the Federal Finance Minister and other officials for their work in this area.

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GHQ Attack Case: Prosecution Seeks Bail Cancellation of CM KP & Other Accused, Indicts 9 More

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5 days ago

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25 defendants, including PTI officials, have non-bailable arrest warrants issued by the Anti Terrorism Court of Rawalpindi for their failure to show up for court proceedings related to the GHQ attack case.

Judge Amjad Ali Shah added nine more suspects to the GHQ attack indictment list during today’s ATC Court sessions, bringing the total to 98.

Among the 61 defendants who appeared in court were Shah Mehmud Qureshi and the founder of the PTI.

Among those charged are Khadim Hussain Khokhar, Mehr Mohammad Javed, Chaudhary Asif, Zakir Ullah, Azeem Ullah, Shireen Mazatri, Major Retired Tahir Sadiq, and former MPA Rashid Hafeez.

A plea to cancel the bail of 23 suspects, including Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has also been filed by the prosecution side.

In the GHQ attack, there were 119 accused in total.

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