Customs Department Establishes Elite Committee to Combat Mobile Phone Smuggling

The Customs Department has constituted a high-level committee to control the smuggling of mobile phone sets in Pakistan. It was established on February 12, 2024, and was headed by former Prime Minister Anwar ul Haq Kakar. The committee focuses specifically on combating the issue of ‘mobile phone smuggling’. The committee has reached out to two key private sector stakeholders, namely the Telecom Operators Association and the Pakistan Mobile Phone Manufacturers Association, and requested that they nominate a member to join the committee’s ranks.

Moreover, the Terms of Reference (TORs) underlined for the committee are extensive and include an assessment of the magnitude of mobile phone smuggling and its effect on revenue. In addition, the committee has been given the task of monitoring the effectiveness of countermeasures executed by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), along with developing strategies to control unauthorized modifications to mobile phones through DIRIBS.

One such illicit method is IMEI number cloning, which prompts multiple complaints to the telecom sector regulator and affects telcos. These references catalyze the committee to dive deeper into recognizing loopholes within the current regulatory framework.

Moreover, the committee is set to recommend strict measures against entities involved in illegal cloning and patching programs. With representatives from key stakeholders including the Customs Department, Pakistan Single Window, FBR, Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Ministry of Industries, and the Cyber Crime Wing of FIA, the committee encompasses the diverse expertise required to tackle this multifaceted issue of mobile phone smuggling.