The government of Pakistan has offered a PTA Temporary Mobile Registration System for foreigners and overseas Pakistanis. In a joint effort, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) have joined forces to establish a fresh mechanism for the temporary registration of mobile phones brought into Pakistan by foreign individuals.
This collaborative initiative aims to address the worries expressed by Overseas Pakistanis and foreign visitors regarding the blocking of their mobile devices. Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif officially inaugurated the new temporary registration system during a ceremony.
Under this system, foreigners and Overseas Pakistanis will be granted a period of 120 days to utilize their mobile phones without being subject to any taxes. It is important to note that initially, the timeframe for temporary registration was set at 60 days, with certain individuals having the exception to extend it to 120 days.
However, during his speech, Prime Minister Shahbaz instructed the relevant authorities to remove the word “exception” and extend the period to 120 days for all individuals. Among the distinguished attendees at the ceremony was Federal Minister for IT & Telecom Syed Aminul Haque, PTA Chairman Maj Gen (R) Hafeez ur Rehman, and other officials from PTA.
PTA Temporary Mobile Registration System Offers Relief for Overseas Pakistanis and Foreigners
The newly implemented temporary registration system targets individuals with short-term stays in Pakistan. It is important to note that this system exclusively pertains to mobile phones.
Key requirements for utilizing the new temporary registration service:
To avail of this PTA Temporary Mobile Registration System, applicants must furnish their passport number, date of arrival, intended date of departure, the mobile SIM card registered under their name, and the IMEI number associated with their device.
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What Happens After 120 Days?
Upon the completion of the 120-day period, the IMEI number(s) registered under this system will be deactivated and cannot be utilized on local network services. If the same applicant visits Pakistan again, they will need to reapply for the temporary registration service, subject to exceptional cases.
How Does The New PTA Temporary Mobile Registration System Function?
The new PTA Temporary Mobile Registration System operates through collaboration between the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to facilitate the exchange of immigration data.
The system utilizes real-time verification of the applicant’s arrival date through the Federal Investigation Agency’s Integrated Border Management System (IBMS), which is linked to the FIA’s records of passenger entry and exit from Pakistan.
Upon the passengers’ arrival in Pakistan and their desire to register their phones for the 120-day period, the immigration staff will input their information into the new system. Subsequently, the FIA will validate the passenger’s entry into Pakistan and activate their phone by integrating the provided data.
The implementation of the PTA Temporary Mobile Registration System not only serves the interests of Overseas Pakistanis and foreign visitors with limited stays in the country but also contributes to enhancing Pakistan’s reputation.
By ensuring that only legitimate individuals can avail themselves of this service, the initiative aims to provide optimal facilitation. This new measure represents yet another stride towards offering maximum convenience, specifically catering to the needs of Overseas Pakistanis and foreign visitors on short-term visits.