Chief Justice Aamer Farooq of the Islamabad High Court clarified on Friday that his recent order does not prevent the blocking of SIMs of non-filers; it only protects telecom operators from government actions.
Earlier this week, reports misinterpreted a stay order related to a mobile operator’s challenge against the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) strategy. This misunderstanding arose shortly after the FBR and telecom companies agreed to start blocking SIMs to combat tax evasion, a critical move given the country’s poor economic situation.
The FBR had initiated the manual blocking of SIMs in small batches earlier this month, aiming to automate the process eventually. Initially, 5,000 non-filers were targeted, with plans to expand daily. The strategy builds on a decision to block 500,000 SIMs belonging to those absent from the active taxpayer list but required to file returns for Tax Year 2023.
During today’s court session, the attorney general sought dismissal of the stay order on SIM blockages. Chief Justice Farooq corrected the record, emphasizing that the order was unreported. He questioned including low-income individuals in the tax net, leading to assurances from the attorney general that such individuals would not receive closure notices.
Concerns were raised about the FBR’s expansive approach. The chief justice stressed the need for clear regulations to prevent unnecessary hardships for the public. Notices to non-filers will begin in November 2023, with the FBR committed to reinstating SIMs once compliance is verified. Following the attorney general’s request, the court set a May 22 deadline for the government to respond to the miscellaneous petition.
