In Pakistan, Mobile phones are getting expensive with every passing moment and lead a new way for criminals to target common men and snatch their smartphones and sell them at a good price.
The most dangerous thing in this whole game is the data that actually becomes private to the public. People use to save their all-important information on their smartphones and this data is priceless.
One can easily be depressed if his or her Mobil phone got stolen or lost. If you use a lost mobile phone you should be aware of the process, how to block your stolen mobile phone and SIM card. The advantage to block stolen mobile phones and SIM is that stolen phones cannot be misused for information available in it.
(CPLC) Citizens-Police Liaison Committee has its website to help Pakistan citizens verification and report about the snatched or stolen phones. CPLC has millions of IMEI numbers that can be accessed through a website. If any unpleasant incident happens, the user can simply register a stolen mobile complaint through the website which can help in trace the stolen phone. Through the CPLC website users have an option to block mobile phones as well.
Ways to Block Stolen Phone in Pakistan
There are few ways to block stolen/lost phones in Pakistan, in which the most important method is to block through IMEI number. Whenever a user buys a new phone the first thing is to note down the IMEI “International Mobile Equipment Identity” of the device. This is the unique number that is attached to every device.
IMEI is used with the GSM network to identify valid devices and can be used for stopping a stolen phone from that particular network.
How to find the IMEI of your mobile phone? it can simply be obtained by dialing *#06# with your mobile phone, IMEI is also written on the mobile box.
Procedure to Block Stolen or Lost Phone
1. Through Email:
Users can simply use email imei@pta.gov.pk with IMEI information to block the lost/stolen device. The PTA authorities will block IMEI of that specific device and it can no longer be used on any network.
2. Through Call:
Android phones can be blocked through calling at the numbers below:
PTA (Pakistan Telecom Authority): 0800-25625
Police: 15
CPLC (Citizen Police Liaison Committee): Call Centre helplines “1102” or 021-35662222 & 021-35682222
3. Through Online Form:
The Online form can be used to report a lost or stolen phone as well. Users can block mobile IMEI numbers online by filling the complaint on CPLC official website. Simply log in at http://www.cplc.org.pk/ click on the “I want to report my Mobile Phone Lost / Snatched / Stolen” segment or use the below link http://www.cplc.org.pk/contact-us/ to launch a report about the incident.
Moreover, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has introduced Device Identification, Registration, and Blocking System (DIRBS) in order to identify and block the smuggled and unregistered phones. DIRBS will ensure the use of legal devices on mobile networks. Recently, PTA has started sending text messages (SMS) to all of the mobile phone users to verify their handsets, so after 20th October 2019, only PTA verified handheld devices can operate in the Pakistani market and all the illegal phones will be blocked automatically. Rehan Riaz Merchant Windings