PTA’s security breached, Millions of IMEIs stolen costing billions to national kitty

ISLAMABAD: The security lapse within the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) online system has resulted in the theft of over one million International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers.

Reliable sources told Daily Ausaf that technical flaws in the PTA’s Device Identification, Registration, and Blocking System (DIRBS) have allowed the IMEIs of low-cost feature phones, priced around Rs2,000, to be used on smuggled high-end mobile phones including iPhones and Samsung.

Mobile phone manufacturing companies have formally notified the telecom authority of this critical issue. This has led to the duplication of IMEIs for millions of users, potentially costing the national treasury billions of rupees.

Another source within the authority confirmed Daily Ausaf that the team responsible for overseeing the DIRBS system was aware of the situation but failed to take any action.

Allegations have surfaced that a single individual has been repeatedly granted extensions in the technical department for the past seven years, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest.

The Mobile Phone Manufacturing Association has submitted a letter to the PTA highlighting the severe deficiencies in the current IMEI blocking system, which has resulted in the disconnection of mobile phones belonging to tax-paying citizens.

The letter, a copy of which is available with Daily Ausaf, urged the PTA to immediately rectify the system to prevent further losses to the national exchequer.

The mobile phone companies have alleged that PTA technical department personnel have stolen legally imported mobile phone IMEIs and sold them to be used on illegally smuggled high-value devices.

This practice has reportedly been ongoing for an extended period, despite repeated warnings to PTA officials.

A mobile phone company executive disclosed that millions of their handset IMEIs have been duplicated, leading to the disconnection of legally imported phones. The company is reportedly attempting to provide replacement devices to affected customers.

It has been further alleged that data from both the PTA and Customs, which receive copies of IMEI data, has been compromised.

Millions of iPhones and Samsung phones are reportedly being smuggled into the country through airports and other channels, and PTA-sourced IMEIs are being sold on the market to legitimize these illegal devices.

Sources warned that an audit of mobile phone company networks could reveal one of the country’s largest cybercrime frauds, involving billions of rupees of losses to the national treasury.

The mobile phone manufacturers have called for an immediate government-level investigation by law enforcement agencies.