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- Will a phone receive full network access after the first instalment or only after final payment?
- What happens if an instalment is missed?
- Will the device be blocked immediately, temporarily restricted or subjected to a penalty?
- Who carries the remaining liability if the phone is sold?
- Will instalment obligations attach to the owner’s CNIC, the phone’s IMEI or both?
- Can the obligation be transferred when ownership changes?
- Will interest, processing fees or penalties increase the total payment?
- How will the system treat a stolen, lost or damaged phone?
- Will older phones be assessed against their current market value or an outdated launch value?
Until PTA and FBR publish a complete operational procedure, these are not minor technicalities. They determine whether the system works in practice.
ProPakistani reported that the legislative facility exists but PTA must still introduce the mechanism through DIRBS. Therefore, citizens should not assume that an immediately usable monthly-payment option is already visible merely because the law now permits one.
Instalments create new administrative costs
The previous arrangement was harsh but comparatively simple: calculate the liability, receive the payment and register the device.
An instalment system requires more infrastructure. Authorities may need to maintain:
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