ISLAMABAD: Cellular companies have unblocked over 7,000 SIM cards previously blocked due to non-filing of income tax returns.

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) sources said that 7,167 mobile SIM cards have been unblocked after the individuals filed their income tax returns. The FBR shared the data of 65,000 non-filers with telecom companies and instructed them to block the SIMs of these individuals. A total of 506,671 non-filers have been identified, and their SIMs will be blocked under the Income Tax General Order. Earlier on May 23, cellular companies, on the recommendation of the FBR, blocked more than 11,000 SIM cards of non-tax filers. Initially, over 3,000 SIM cards were blocked in the first phase, and an additional 9,000 SIM cards were blocked subsequently, bringing the total to 11,252.