Pak orders citizens to submit fingerprints or lose mobile phone services

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ANI Washington
Last Updated : Feb 27 2015 | 12:22 PM IST

Authorities in Pakistan have reportedly issued an ultimatum to all cell phone users in the country, asking them to either verify their identity by submitting their fingerprints to the government or lose their mobile phone services.

According to Mashable, mobile use in Pakistan has skyrocketed over the past decade, and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority estimates that more than 100 million citizens use cell phones.

The move comes in the aftermath of the Peshawar school massacre in December, where the Taliban killed 132 school children and nine staff members.

Officials say that they hope to prevent similar attacks in the future by ensuring that every SIM card in Pakistan is traceable to an identity and a set of fingerprints, the report added.

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First Published: Feb 27 2015 | 12:13 PM IST

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