To combat the widespread practice of issuing fake SIM cards using stolen finger impressions, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has opted to utilize Live Finger Detection (LFD) devices.
For the uninitiated, an LFD gadget reliably determines if a fingerprint is real and was acquired from a person present at the time of capture, or if it is fake and was obtained illegally.
In response to the exponentially expanding number of bogus SIMs, a representative for the PTA stated that the authority has opted to employ LFD devices for SIM issuance
Fake SIM cards will be eliminated with the introduction of LFD devices, as they offer a significant challenge to PTA, NADRA, and FIA because they can’t be tracked back to their rightful owners.
In 2008, PTA launched a SIM ownership verification system that uses biometric devices to verify ownership. Citizens must give thumb impressions as well as original CNICs to receive new SIMs under the scheme.
For issuing new SIMs, more than 300,000 PTA-authorized biometric devices will be replaced with LFD devices across the country. In the first phase, the new gadgets will be implemented in large cities, followed by the rest of the country in the second phase.
According to government estimates, there are more than 0.7 million operational fraudulent SIM cards in the country, which were created using fingerprints obtained through various illegal means.
0.58 million fraudulent SIMs were issued using the fingerprints of deceased people, while the remaining 0.7 million SIMs were issued using fingerprints obtained from voter lists, B-forms, identity cards, and papers from union councils in conjunction with the concerned personnel.
To read our blog on PTA set a target to launch 5G in early 2023, click here.
