The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has come under fire after admitting its failure to prevent the country’s biggest IMEI theft scandal, exposing serious flaws in the multi-million-dollar mobile phone registration and blocking system.
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In a recent Zoom meeting with mobile manufacturers, PTA’s Member Technical shockingly blamed the companies for the leak of millions of IMEI numbers, denying any role of PTA officials in the theft. The official defended PTA’s controversial consultant, Talib Dogar, and asked the companies to suggest a solution instead of holding PTA accountable.
Industry sources revealed that this massive leak has enabled tax evasion worth billions of rupees, with stolen IMEIs now being used in smuggled devices nationwide. Despite spending $24 million on the system, PTA officials confessed they have no fix for this mess and left it to the companies to find a way out.
Mobile companies warned that the entire mobile phone ecosystem is now compromised, casting doubts on the authenticity of over 180 million devices registered in Pakistan.
Meanwhile, PTA’s technical wing remains inactive, raising serious questions about the authority’s competence and the role of certain PTA officials who, sources claim, have been sabotaging the system for years.
This scandal not only exposes PTA’s negligence but also highlights the failure of a system designed to protect consumers and the national exchequer.
