Good news for all foreigners visiting Pakistan and for Pakistanis living abroad! The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) have worked together to create a new system of temporary registration for mobile phones brought in by foreign visitors.
The new technique aims to ease the worries of foreigners visiting Pakistan and overseas Pakistanis regarding the blocking of their mobile devices.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shahbaz Sharif, officially launched the new temporary registration system during a ceremony.
Foreigners and Pakistanis living abroad would have 120 days under the new scheme to use their mobile phones tax-free.
It’s important to note that the deadline was originally established at 60 days, with an exception allowing some persons to extend it to 120 days.
However, PM Shahbaz requested during his address that the phrase exception be removed and that everyone be given 120 days.
Other noteworthy attendees at the occasion included PTA Chairman Maj Gen (R) Hafeez ur Rehman and other PTA officials, as well as Federal Minister for IT & Telecom Syed Aminul Haque.
New SIM Registration System For Overseas Pakistanis & Foreign Visitors
For people who don’t intend to stay in Pakistan for an extended amount of time, a new temporary registration mechanism has been created. However, it is important to note that the new system only applies to mobile phones at this time.
Applicants must provide their passport number, arrival and departure dates, the mobile SIM card issued in their name, and the IMEI number of their device in order to use this system.
The IMEI number(s) used under this scheme will be suspended and unable to be utilized on local network service after 120 days of residence.
The same applicant must submit a new application for the temporary registration service in exceptional circumstances if they revisit to Pakistan.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) would collaborate under the new system to exchange immigration data.
The system will use the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) IBMS to instantly confirm the applicant’s arrival date. This information will be connected to the FIA’s passenger entry and exit records for Pakistan.
The immigration staff will input travelers’ information into the new system after they arrive in Pakistan and wish to register their phones for a 120-day period.
After combining the data, the FIA will confirm the passenger’s arrival into Pakistan and turn on their phone.
The good news is that you can still use the same phone if you decide to visit Pakistan again. At the moment, tourists are not permitted to use the same phone on their subsequent visits after using it for 60 days.
With this new approach, you can reactivate the same phone and SIM number using the immigration data whether you are a Pakistani living abroad or a foreigner who frequently travels to Pakistan.
This scheme will benefit not just abroad Pakistanis and short-term visitors from other countries, but it will also boost Pakistan’s reputation. It makes sure that only honest people can use this feature.
This new initiative is yet another measure made to provide maximum facilitation, especially for overseas Pakistanis and visitors from other countries who are only in the country temporarily.
To read our blog on “PTA to block 19 more websites on IT Ministry request,” click here.
