Are you worried about the deadline that PTA has given to register your phones? Well, I’m sure you’re. However, you don’t have to worry more as the news that PTA may be blocking non-compliant devices before 20th October is not true anymore, because PTA just took a u-turn and might extend the date.
Few days ago, the news flash like a fire that if a phone’s IMEI registration isn’t complete; the PTA will block your phone. It was true, but the time period given by PTA to complete this task was short.
Now, Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology has asked to PTA to delay the process of shutting down of non-compliant mobile phones.
In this regard, the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology had a sit down with PTA’s acting chairman Muhammad Naveed to ask him to extend the deadline.
The reason behind this move is to register mobiles (if they are not already) is too hard to understand for normal users and saying phones unusable after the deadline was just not tolerable.
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According to Chairperson of the committee, Senator Rubina Khalid, the task was too complex for average Pakistanis to understand and most of them would be incapable to do. Moreover, they would be unable to purchase another mobile set after the deadline.
Muhammad Naveed, the acting chairman for PTA said they had previously extended deadlines quite a few times since May this year. He also declared that extending the dates once again would mean millions of dollars and time would be wasted.
On the other hand, the committee has made their demands clear and has said that they will not let for PTA to disable phones which are currently being used.
The committee further reasoned that PTA can impose this regulation on cellphone sets which are purchased after the date but people who already have mobiles should not have to deal with the confusion this was causing and most likely many people did not even understand what was going on.
Although, it’s still a bit unclear what will the next move of PTA since they have not issued any statements about the issue. Bearing in mind that now Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology has barred them from doing so, it seems the deadline will extend once again.
So for now, don’t worry as you’re good and can take sigh of breath! We will keep you updated with everything that happens regarding this issue.
