Pakistan, Dec. 1 -- The November 28 order requires major smartphone makers, including Apple, Samsung, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi, to ensure the app is installed on new devices within 90 days. Devices already in the supply chain are to receive the app through software updates. The directive was issued privately and not publicly disclosed.

Launched in January, Sanchar Saathi helps users report suspicious calls, verify IMEIs, block lost or stolen phones, and track fraudulent connections. Government data shows the app has helped recover over 700,000 lost devices and terminate more than 30 million fraudulent connections. Authorities cite the app as crucial for countering network misuse and scams involving duplicate or spoofed IMEIs. While Apple p...