Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has issued a statement on the blocking of mobile phone SIMs of over 500,000 non-filers at the request of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).'PTA is currently deliberating on the recent decision made by FBR. We are engaged with CMOs and concerned stakeholders on this matter. Our foremost objective is to uphold compliance within regulatory framework and relevant legal provisions while safeguarding the interests of telecom consumers. Any progress/ updates on the matter will be conveyed accordingly,' the regulator said in a statement on Thursday.On Tuesday, the tax machinery issued the Income Tax General Order (ITGO) to disable the mobile phone SIMs of over 0.5 million persons who do not appear on the active taxpayer list but are liable to file the Income Tax Return for Tax Year 2023.The FBR order included strict instructions for PTA and all telecom operators to ensure the compliance of this ITGO with immediate effect.The FBR had identified around 2.4 million pot ential taxpayers, out of which 506,671 were selected for the initial SIM card-blocking exercise.Source: Pro Pakistani