MANAMA: This is what can be described as pathetic and criminal negligence of telecom operators whose business thrive on the stolen IDs of the poorest of poor in Bahrain and issuing devices and numbers by overlooking the strict guidelines of the Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRA) Bahrain.
“We have seen a spate of 25 cases of identity thefts in 2014 wherein Pakistani labourers approached the embassy complaining about illegal travel bans, pending legal cases and stopping the payments of their salaries by their respective sponsors. This this trend seems to be more serious in 2015 as 10 complaints have so far been received in first quarter,” Maqsood Shah, Community Welfare Attache at Pakistan Embassy told The24X7News Bahrain (www.twentyfoursevennews.com).
Ironically, in one case Zain Bahrain has issued an iPad and a post-paid telephone line in name of Sameeh Amjad who is an electrician at Al Daleem Co and he already had BD494 outstanding against the device and telephone line. However, the smart card no 890825599 against Zain had processed the agreement doesn’t contain the signatures of the applicant and the person in this case was totally unaware about the Zain device and a post-paid mobile line issued in his name.
“I have never applied for any device or connection and I only came to know about this liability once I was called up by Zain to visit their offices the agreement paper showed me has forged signatures,” Amjad wrote in his application to the Pakistan embassy.
Amjad is under travel ban, not getting salary as his sponsor illegally stopped paying him with court orders and directly paying BD110 against Zain’s outstanding amount. Also Naim Police Station is investigating a complaint apparently launched by Zain for violation of the contract.
Pakistan embassy has stepped up its efforts to control this menace of stolen IDs and also to help the destitute people in Bahrain who have had become a victim of these criminal acts of the some sales staff of the three telecom operators in Bahrain.
“As I mentioned we have had received similar ID theft cases but the complaints against Zain were much higher than other two operators,” Maqsood Shah said, adding that embassy would take up this matter with the TRA requesting them to intervene and stop this menace.