The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has announced blocking SIMs that have been issued on expired identity cards, according to a report by Dawn.com.
The measure is aimed at curbing the illegal use of unauthorised SIM cards, according to a PTA spokesperson. The SIMs registered on the national identity cards (NIC) that expired before the year 2017 will be blocked. The IDs in question have not been renewed, according to the regulator.
The authority is ramping up its measure to block SIMs registered on expired, cancelled, or ID cards of deceased individuals. The first phase of blocking the SIMs was announced in August 2024.
The second phase will follow the blocking of SIMs registered on expired ID cards. Whereas, in the third phase, the regulator will crack down on SIMs registered on the NICs of deceased individuals.
The authority is blocking the SIMs based on information provided by the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), according to the PTA spokesperson. The illegal SIMs are being used in a range of crimes, including tax fraud.
The regulator says that individuals whose SIMs are being blocked will receive a notification text on their numbers. In addition, it has urged users to visit their mobile operator franchises in case of transferring the SIMs of deceased individuals to their names, which the PTA will begin blocking from October 16, 2024.
