STAFF REPORT ISB: The government has warned cellular phone companies that they could be prosecuted in the military courts under the terrorism law if their un-verified SIMs are found in any terrorist activity after the expiry of deadline fixed for re-verification of SIMs through Biometric Verification System (BVS), it is learnt. Official sources said that at a high-level meeting held here, representatives of the telecom industry sought one year for the SIMs re-verification through BVS, but the government gave a deadline of 90 days against the initial deadline of 28 days.

They said hat the re-verification process of SIMs through BVS has started. Around 103 million un-verified SIMs would be re-verified in two phases.

Agreeing partially with a proposal of telecom industry, the government decided that Nadra would charge only Rs10, instead of Rs23 for verification purposes for the period of re-verification. However, it is yet to be decided whether subscriber or company concerned would pay Rs10 for verification of SIMs.

The telecom operators also proposed that the government should reduce the overall taxes on the industry from 19.5 per cent to 17pc in anticipation of reduction in revenue due to blockage of SIMs.

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