10m SIM cards registered in 30 months, says ministry

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Telecommunication and Information Technology (MoTIT) says about 10 million SIM cards have been registered over last two and a half years.

Inayatullah Alokozai, spokesman for MoTIT, acknowledged the issue of illegal SIM card sales in the markets after the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) takeover.

He told Pajhwok Afghan News MoTIT had thrashed out a plan curbing the practice and shared it with telecom firms.

He said about 10 million SIM cards had been registered since the procedure was put in place. The process, which is 60 percent complete, will be come to an end in Kabul in next few months.

The official claimed the process was ongoing across the country. MoTIT asked telecom firms to share reports about those who want to purchase or register new SIM cards to ensure customers meet the requirements of procedure.

Alokozai said in order to facilitate citizens, the ministry urged the telecom companies to set up mobile teams for registering SIM cards.

The total number of active SIM cards in Afghanistan has reached about 23 million, the official concluded.

kk/mud