The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has blocked more than 3.2 million SIMs issued against deceased individuals. The action is part of a nationwide campaign to improve SIM security and prevent illegal use.
According to an official document, the drive was carried out between July 2024 and June 2025. PTA worked closely with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) during this period. The main goal was to stop unauthorized SIM issuance and reduce telecom-related crimes.
As part of enforcement efforts, 44 raids were conducted in 24 cities across Pakistan. These raids targeted networks involved in local SIM fraud. Authorities seized over 5,300 SIMs during these operations. They also confiscated 99 biometric verification devices and more than 250,000 digital fingerprints. A total of 71 people were arrested.
In a separate operation, PTA focused on illegal international SIM sales. 32 raids were carried out against such activities. These actions resulted in 46 arrests. Officials also seized more than 8,000 illegal SIMs. Additionally, 83 websites linked to unauthorized SIM sales were blocked. These sites were used for telecom fraud and illegal marketing.
PTA also launched large-scale data cleansing to remove invalid SIM records. Over 891,000 dormant SIMs were blocked or recycled. Around 69,000 SIMs issued against cancelled or impounded CNICs were disabled. Another 783,000 SIMs linked to expired CNICs were removed from active networks.
The campaign also covered foreign nationals. PTA blocked more than 179,000 SIMs used by repatriated foreigners. This includes holders of Afghan Proof of Registration (PoR) and Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) documents.
To prevent future misuse, PTA introduced several technical measures. These include three-factor authentication for SIM sellers. SIM stock is now bound at the franchise level. Biometric devices have been geo-fenced within a 100-meter range. Live finger detection has also been enabled to prevent biometric fraud.
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These steps aim to close regulatory gaps. They also improve monitoring and enforcement. PTA says the measures will strengthen the integrity of Pakistan’s telecom system. The authority remains committed to ensuring safe and lawful SIM usage nationwide.
