ISLAMABAD

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has extended the SIM disowning period from 60 days to 365 days in a major move aimed at curbing illegal SIM issuance and unauthorized mobile registrations across Pakistan.

Under the revised policy, newly activated SIM cards can now only be disowned after one year of activation, significantly tightening biometric verification and SIM ownership regulations.

The telecom regulator advised citizens to exercise extreme caution while providing biometric verification for SIM issuance, warning that misuse of identity information could expose individuals to legal and security risks.

PTA urged mobile users to regularly verify the number of SIMs registered against their Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) to prevent unauthorized or suspicious registrations.

Officials said the measure forms part of broader efforts to strengthen digital identity protection and combat fraudulent use of mobile connections linked to cybercrime, financial scams and illegal activities.

Consumers have been instructed to immediately report any suspicious or unauthorized SIM registrations to their respective telecom operators for prompt investigation and corrective action.

Industry analysts say illegal SIM issuance has remained a longstanding challenge for Pakistan’s telecom sector, despite stricter biometric verification systems introduced over recent years.

The regulator has repeatedly emphasized that unauthorized SIM registrations can create serious risks involving identity theft, financial fraud and misuse of communication networks.

Telecom experts believe the extended disowning period could improve accountability and discourage the practice of registering SIMs using other individuals’ CNIC information.

The advisory comes as Pakistan continues strengthening telecom security regulations amid growing concerns surrounding cybercrime, digital fraud and misuse of mobile communication services.

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority reiterated its appeal for citizens to ensure that only personally used SIM cards remain registered under their identities as part of national telecom security efforts.