Telecom operators have commenced the process of blocking mobile SIMs for approximately 9,000 individuals who have not filed their taxes, as per directives from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).
According to an FBR spokesperson, the telecom companies have expedited the SIM blocking procedure, with new data being provided by the FBR daily. The spokesperson noted that to date, the FBR has furnished data for 30,000 individuals whose SIMs are slated for blocking. However, it is acknowledged that the task of blocking SIMs for all 506,671 non-filers identified for the Tax Year 2023 will take some time.
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Initially, telecom operators expressed reluctance to block SIMs, citing legal concerns. However, they later agreed to initiate the process in smaller batches.
In late April, the FBR issued an Income Tax General Order (ITGO) instructing the disabling of mobile phone SIMs for over 0.5 million individuals not on the active taxpayer list. Telecom companies were directed to furnish a compliance report on this matter by May 15th.
