Ban on pre-paid SIM: Omar to talk to Centre

Sharing the concern of 38 lakh pre-paid mobile phone subscribers hit by the ban on their SIM cards in Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said genuine users should not be affected as a small service group did not do proper verification while issuing such cards.

Abdullah said he would hold talks with the Centre, including Home Minister P Chidambaram, to resolve the issue as the blanket ban on the use of pre-paid SIM cards is not the answer to issues related to security and other important matters.

"Jammu and Kashmir has to be kept at par with other states in respect of use of SIM cards," he told reporters and asserted that the service groups should be made responsible for ensuring verification of documents as per the requirements for pre-paid SIM card facilities.

"We cannot put to inconvenience large number of genuine users for the fault of service groups," he added.

The ban was imposed in the state from November 1, in the wake of reports that proper verification is not being done while providing such connections by the service providers/vendors raising security concerns.

 The decision has affected nearly 38 lakh pre-paid mobile phone subscribers in the state where Airtel has nearly 19 lakh subscribers followed by BSNL with 12 lakh and Aircel with seven lakh customers.