The auction of tens of thousands of confiscated mobile phones has been delayed, resulting in a significant revenue loss for the national treasury.
According to news report, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has yet to whitelist these phones, despite repeated requests from the Customs Department, stalling their auction and preventing activation under the Device Identification Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS).
Customs officials at key airports, including Karachi, Lahore, Multan, and Faisalabad, have submitted numerous requests to PTA for the whitelisting of over 10,000 mobile phones seized over the past several months.
However, the lack of PTA’s response has caused a delay in planned auctions, which could have generated millions of rupees for the government.
According to Collector Customs (Airports), the value of the devices is steadily decreasing as newer models flood the market, making older models less appealing to potential buyers. This delay undermines the entire purpose of auctioning.
Customs sources revealed that despite submitting lists for whitelisting, little progress has been made.
A PTA official, however, stated that the Authority has not received any formal request from the Customs Department regarding the listing of mobile phones.
