PTA to block SIM cards issued on cancelled, expired ID cards

Customers to be able to have SIMs restored through biometric verification after getting new ID cards

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has taken a major decision to block illegal mobile SIM cards.

It has announced that the SIMs issued on cancelled identity cards will be blocked on August 16. Moreover, the SIMs active on the identity cards of deceased individuals will be blocked by October 15.

The PTA has said that customers will be able to restore their SIMs through biometric verification after getting new identity cards from NADRA.

Furthermore, it has also been decided to block mobile SIM cards issued on identity cards expired since 2017. Customers have been given time till September 2 to get their identity cards renewed.

The PTA has sent alerts to the SIMs it intends to block, while it also plans to start an awareness campaign in this regard soon. 

The authority has said that customers would need to provide original death certificates and proof of kinship in order to get SIMs transferred in their names. The PTA has sought from NADRA the data of expired and cancelled ID cards, as well as details of those who have been deceased. 

Meanwhile, a recent audit report by the Auditor General of Pakistan has revealed significant irregularities in recruitment at the PTA, leading to a loss of over Rs45 million to the national exchequer.

The AGP’s annual audit report for 2023-24 regarding the telecommunication sector has exposed that the PTA engaged in illegal recruitment during the financial year 2022-23, including the hiring of one IT officer and two assistant directors at its headquarters without corresponding positions.

These recruitments were made despite the lack of relevant posts, contravening established service rules.

The audit highlights that the PTA paid Rs45.9 million in salaries and allowances in violation of regulations. Furthermore, the recruitment process did not adhere to advertised criteria. The report also says that most of the recruitments made in the PTA did not follow the advertised criteria.