PTA Blocks Nearly 100 Million Mobile Devices in 2024–25 to Curb Counterfeit Phones

NAEEM MEHBOOB:

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) blocked close to 100 million mobile devices during the 2024–25 financial year, according to its annual report.

Among the blocked devices were 868,000 reported lost or stolen handsets, 72 million counterfeit or replica devices, and 27 million devices with duplicated or cloned IMEIs.

The PTA highlighted the pivotal role of its Device Identification Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS) in strengthening the country’s Mobile Device Management (MDM) ecosystem. The authority said DIRBS has successfully curtailed the import of counterfeit and non-compliant devices, improved consumer protection, formalized the mobile device market, and generated significant revenue for the government.