Islamabad: Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) blocked 175,000 International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) devices to prevent the use of stolen mobile phones under the Device Identification Registration & Blocking System (DIRBS) during the last fiscal year.

Besides, the DIRBS identified and suspended around 29.56 million IMEIs identified as duplicates, according to the annual report of PTA for 2021-2022.

It also blocked 0.88 million cloned IMEIs identified as being used against 5.28 million MSISDN numbers.

During the year under review, mobile subscriptions registered a healthy annual growth of 6 percent. In the domain of subscriber growth, Zong took the lead with 9 per cent growth, followed by Jazz (8 percent), Telenor (1.4 percent), and Ufone (0.7 percent).

In terms of mobile subscriptions, Jazz led with a share of 38.6%, followed by Telenor (25.3%), Zong (23.1%), Ufone (12.1%) and SCO (0.9%).

Over the last four years, Jazz and Zong have successfully increased their market shares while Telenor and Ufone saw a decline owing to lower investments and late entry in 4G market.

Currently, 78% of Pakistan’s population is covered by 3G and 75% by 4G mobile signals, meaning that the needs of a vast majority are being catered.

Pakistanis have access to internet and broadband services at the most affordable rates in the region. Notably, mobile 1GB data cost has further declined to 0.58% of the Gross National Income per capita—well below the UN Broadband Commission’s recommendation of less than 2 percent.

The broadband and data cost targets listed in the National Broadband Policy 2021 (draft available on the MoITT website) envisage 80% broadband penetration by 2025 and 90% by 2030, with a greater than 30 Mbps average broadband speed by 2025, and 50% reduction in average price per gigabyte by 2025.

Islamabad: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb Tuesday said that the All parties Conference (APC) had been postponed as Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif would leave for Ankara tomorrow (Wednesday).

Turning to Twitter, she wrote that Prime Minister would express condolences and solidarity with President Erdogan and people of Turkiye over loss of precious lives and destruction caused by the yesterday’s deadly earthquake.

She stated that the new date for the conference would be announced after consultation with the allies.

وزیراعظم شہباز شریف کل صبح انقرہ روانہ ہوں گے، وہ صدر اردوان سے زلزلے کی تباہی، جانی نقصان پر افسوس اور تعزیت،ترکیہ کے عوام سے یک جہتی کریں گے۔ وزیراعظم کے دورہ ترکیہ کی وجہ سے جمعرات 9 فروری کو بلائی گئی اے پی سی مؤخر کی جا رہی ہے، اتحادیوں کی مشاورت سے نئی تاریخ کا اعلان ہوگا

— Marriyum Aurangzeb (@Marriyum_A) February 7, 2023

It is pertinent to note that the APC was convened on Thursday (February 9) which was already postponed from February 7.

Karachi: The celebrities of Pakistani film industry including Director Babeel Qureshi, actresses Hira Mani, Gul-e-Rana and other crew members were attacked by a mob during the shooting of the drama in the PIB Colony of Karachi.

During the drama shooting on Monday night, there was an altercation between the large number of locals and the crew.

Director Nabeel Qureshi turned to Twitter and shared the incident in a series of tweets stating that they were attacked by mob in PIB Colony/Jamshed quarters Martin Road during shoot.

He stated that the attackers got into the house they were shooting with hundreds of people, adding that “they harrased women/actresses, beat the shit out of crew, stole mobiles, equipment”

1/1 We has been attacked by mov in PIB Colony/jamshed quater martin road during shoot they got into the house we were shooting a hundred of people they harrases women/actresses, beat the shit out of crew, stole mobiles, equipment @HiraMani_real @ManiSalmanKhi #gulerana

— Nabeel Qureshi (@nabeelqureshi) February 6, 2023

In another post, Qureshi said: “We are sitting here in PIB police station, they attacked like anything”.

The director further said that this never happened before in Karachi.

He alleged: “They were equipped with weapons, they stole mobiles, wallet,” adding that they did not care about ladies and raised their hands etc.

1/2 we are sitting here in PIB police station, they attacked like anything honestly this never happened before in karachi, they were equipped with weapons, they stole mobiles wallet they do not care about ladies they raise their hands etc.

— Nabeel Qureshi (@nabeelqureshi) February 6, 2023

He urged the authorities to take action against the attackers to make example out of it.

He further stated, “I request to my fraternity all the actors, producers to make sure that this shouldn't happened again to any of us”!

We want #sindhpolice & #sindhrangers to take strict action against these ppl, to make example out of it @ManiSalmanKhi @HiraMani_real i request to my fraternity all the actors producers to make sure that this shouldn't happened again to any of us!

— Nabeel Qureshi (@nabeelqureshi) February 6, 2023

On the other hand, actress Hira Mani turned to her Instagram account and wrote: “It was a very unfortunate event to witness today,” adding that no one face that ever in their life.

She thanked her team saying that, “I want to thank my team members who fought till the last with the culprits to save us,” informing that the team members are hospitalized in bad condition.

She urged the people to pray for their speedy recovery.

The incident had shocked Pakistani artists who expressed their disbelief and called the authorities for answers.

I don’t believe this!! Who is responsible ? Who will answer for this? https://t.co/5Kv2Eu7TJc

— Mahira Khan (@TheMahiraKhan) February 6, 2023

A case of the incident had been registered in Jamshed Quarter police station on the complaint of Ali Hussain son of Afaq Hussain.

The police had arrested six accused in the charge of torture on the staff. The arrested people had been identified as Muhammad Ali, Abdul Qadir, Owais, Rahmat Ali, Zamal and Syed Qarib.

Local people said that the neighbors of the house had a disagreement regarding the shooting and noise created late at night that led to such incident.