The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has taken significant steps to combat the issue of illegal SIM cards in the country. Recently, the PTA blocked 69,000 SIM cards that had been issued using canceled or fraudulent identity documents. This action followed the August 16 deadline for biometric verification of these SIM cards. The PTA has confirmed that these blocked SIMs were registered throughout Pakistan using invalid or fake ID papers.
To reactivate their blocked SIM cards, users must first obtain valid identity cards from NADRA (Pakistan’s National Database and Registration Authority). Once they have new, legitimate ID cards, they will need to visit their mobile operator or a franchise to have their SIM cards unblocked through biometric verification.
In addition to this measure, the PTA has issued a warning that SIM cards issued against expired identity cards before 2017 will also be blocked within the next week. To prevent their SIM cards from being blocked, users are advised to renew their expired ID cards through NADRA and then complete the biometric verification process for their SIMs.
This initiative by the PTA aims to ensure that all SIM cards are registered with accurate and up-to-date identification, thereby reducing the incidence of fraud and enhancing the overall security of telecommunication services in Pakistan.
