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Pak design foils India's bid to ban SIM cards
Swati Vashishtha , CNN-IBN
Posted on Jul 22, 2010 at 07:52 | Updated Jul 22, 2010 at 09:15
Barmer: Setting up of mobile phone towers by Pakistan along the Indo-Pak border has led the authorities to issue prohibitory orders banning the use of Pakistani SIM cards.
The new mobile phone towers that have come up along the border district of Barmer in Rajasthan not only prompt users to refresh their mobile network selection, but also show two Pakistan based networks – Telenor and Ufone.
The major cause of concern for the security agencies is that those using Pakistani SIM cards may be able use those networks to make calls without getting intercepted or monitored. The order prohibiting the use of Pakistani SIM cards was issued after the intelligence agencies sounded an alert.
Barmer: Setting up of mobile phone towers by Pakistan along the Indo-Pak border has led the authorities to issue prohibitory orders banning the use of Pakistani SIM cards.
The new mobile phone towers that have come up along the border district of Barmer in Rajasthan not only prompt users to refresh their mobile network selection, but also show two Pakistan based networks – Telenor and Ufone.
The major cause of concern for the security agencies is that those using Pakistani SIM cards may be able use those networks to make calls without getting intercepted or monitored. The order prohibiting the use of Pakistani SIM cards was issued after the intelligence agencies sounded an alert.
"It is tough to say whether it is possible to intercept phone conversations on Pakistani SIM cards through Pakistani networks. This definitely poses a threat to the national security," says Santosh Chalke, Superintendent of Police, Barmer.
The security agencies are also seizing the SIM cards of those traveling to India by the Thar Express and returning them only on their way back.
"People in the border district of Barmer are allowed to use only Indian networks on their mobile phones. But now since many parts of the district are under the range of Pakistani network towers set up across the border, there could be a possibility of people using the SIM cards of the same companies to talk. This is what we want to check through these orders," says Gaurav Goyal, DM, Barmer.
The border districts have been trying to deal with the problem of Pakistani mobile networks for the last four years. However, despite repeated communication with the Home ministry and requests to install jammers, the security threat is only on the rise.
Pak design foils India's bid to ban SIM cards - India News - IBNLive