Customs-PTA Deadlock Delays Auction of Seized Phones

The national treasury experiences substantial financial loss since more than 10,000 seized mobile phones cannot be sold through auctions because of bureaucratic barriers between government agencies. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) refuses to whitelist thousands of mobile devices which Customs Department requires for activation. 

The phones stay unactivatable under the Device Identification Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS) because this vital step has not been completed. Customs personnel at Karachi along with Lahore and Multan and Faisalabad airports have attempted moving forward with auction actions since several months passed. The government revenue could rise to millions of rupees through this auction procedure.

The market value of seized devices decreases because newer technology models become available, thus reducing the possible revenue generated from auctions daily, according to a senior Customs Collector.