Anusha Rehman launches the Grey Trafficking Monitoring Equipment

The Minister of State for Information Technology Anusha Rehman has formally launched the grey trafficking monitoring equipment installed earlier this month after its formal testing at the PTA headquarters. Secretary IT Akhlaque Ahmed Tarrar, acting Chairman PTA Ismail Shah, and other officials accompanied her.

She also directed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to devise standard operating procedures (SoPs) for curbing grey trafficking in the country in the aftermath of installation of monitoring equipment.

Anusha Rehman launches the Grey Trafficking Monitoring Equipment

The state minister apprised the acting chairman PTA about the focus of the current government to curb the menace of grey traffic, causing a huge loss of revenue to the government exchequer.

The state of the art equipment should be used to block all illegitimate internet protocol addresses, being used for grey trafficking

The authority was directed to set up a vigilance and enforcement mechanism – including a proper call centre designated to receive complaints in this regard. The PTA would launch a public awareness campaign in this regard.

The minister further directed the authority to build SoPs to verify legitimacy of IPs – those already existing on white list. Therefore, physical audit and ground verification of the particulars of IP users on white list must be done within the next three days to ensure that only legally approved and verified IP list is maintained under the signature of the current authority.

Ismail Shah assured the ministry of PTA’s full support and commitment towards curbing grey traffic and that every step would be taken to produce favorable results.