Police officials use unregistered SIMs to con innocent public

It has been reported that few police officials in Rawalpindi were using unregistered SIMs in order to con innocent public. 5 police officials, two of which are women constables, were allegedly using these SIMs to extract money out of the pockets of the public that used to come to the District Courts in Rawalpindi. These women constables asked the female litigants to write down their numbers in a register for security purposes. One of the woman litigant, after writing her number, was contacted one her cell phone from a man who claimed to be sessions judge. The man assured her that he could give decision in her favor if she pays him. The man also insisted her to meet him to further discuss the matter. The woman informed her lawyer about the call who further informed Rawalpindi District Bar Association (RDBA) President about the whole situation. During the course of investigation conducted by the Bar, security cell near the entrance of the district courts was reached where a register was found with more than 250 mobile phone numbers of women written in it. Bar took the issue to District & Sessions Judge who handed over the case along with the register to the City Police Office (CPO). CPO was ordered to take strict action against the constables who were illegally keeping the phone number records of court attendees. RDBA President said that about 40 women were contacted by that alleged ‘Session court Judge’ and unregistered SIMs were used to keep the potential investigators at an arm’s length if they seek to burst his and his partners in crime’s identities. This is only one case of abuse of unregistered SIMs. It is among thousands of cases that include use of such SIMs in extortion, kidnapping, illegal business and even terrorist attacks. State authorities have made all the possible efforts to curb the menace of these unregistered SIMs and by the end of year 2013, Biometric Verification system was even rolled out to curtail the sale of such SIMs but no practical step could be taken to block the SIMs that were already operating without proper registration. It is matter of losing business for telecom operators that’s why they always hesitate in blocking millions of unregistered that are still used in the country without any fear of law.