ISLAMABAD – An urgent advisory has been issued for all Pakistanis as SIM cards linked to expired, canceled, or deceased ID cards could stop working at any moment.
In its latest advisory, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) put millions of mobile users on alert as the regulator warned that SIM cards linked to those with expired CNIC, or of parents who are no longer alive will be blocked soon.
Who Could Lose Their SIM?
According to PTA, SIMs are at risk if they are:
- Registered under an expired CNIC
- Linked to a canceled CNIC record
- Registered in the name of a deceased person
Users falling into any of these categories could suddenly find themselves offline, unable to make calls, send texts, or use mobile internet. PTA has urged everyone to immediately update their CNICs through NADRA to avoid service disruptions.
What to do now?
- Renew expired CNICs immediately at NADRA centers or online.
- Rectify canceled CNICs before the SIM is blocked.
- Ensure all SIMs are registered under your own CNIC, not someone else’s.
- Remove or transfer SIMs linked to deceased individuals to avoid permanent deactivation.
PTA’s crackdown is part of a broader push for a secure and traceable telecom system. Pakistan has long battled illegal SIM usage, identity theft, and unregistered mobile communication, and this initiative aims to close those loopholes.
Over the past few years, PTA strengthened biometric SIM verification, Cracked down on illegal SIM issuance, and integrated telecom databases with NADRA records.
With automated systems likely set to detect and block non-compliant SIMs, authorities are sending a clear message: your SIM is only as valid as your CNIC.
With SIM cards Slinked to digital payments, remote work, and daily communication, even a short outage could have serious consequences.
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