Smartphone Installment Policy Awaits Approval From Two More Ministries

• The Ministry of IT and Telecom is ready to progress its mobile phone installment policy.
• The policy prepares to seek approval from the Ministry of Law and the Ministry of Finance.
• The ministry is getting ready to present the policy for approval by the federal government.

The Ministry of IT and Telecom is ready to progress its mobile phone installment policy as it prepares to seek approval from the Ministry of Law and Ministry of Finance.

After thorough discussions with stakeholders during a working group meeting on mobile financing, the ministry is getting ready to present the policy for additional examination and approval by the federal government.

Sources familiar with the situation informed that, once endorsed by the federal government, the Ministry of IT and Telecom intends to issue a directive, indicating the start of a mobile phone financing program.

This new endeavor expands on past work, as the Ministry of IT and Telecom presented the Mobile Phone Financing Policy to the Federal Government last December. Nevertheless, the policy was sent back to the ministry in January for further examination by the Ministry of Law.

The intended mobile phone installment program seeks to make technology more accessible to everyone, especially those with financial constraints, through interest-free installment options. Moreover, the policy includes provisions to deal with defaulters, detailing steps to block the mobile phones of individuals who don’t fulfill their installment commitments.

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Enforcing this policy will involve a notable contribution from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), which represents a shift from the traditional dependence solely on mobile companies for enforcement. The PTA’s Device Identification Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS) will play a crucial role in implementing the blocking procedures.