The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has announced a phased blocking of SIMs that are registered against cancelled, expired, and deceased individuals’ CNICs.Â
According to a notification by the telecom regulator, the SIMs associated with cancelled or fake CNICs are set to be blocked by August 16, 2024. Subscribers affected by this can restore their SIMs by obtaining a new CNIC from NADRA and completing biometric verification at the relevant sales centres.
SIMs issued against CNICs that expired before 2017 will be blocked by September 2, 2024. These subscribers can restore their services by renewing their CNIC and undergoing biometric verification.
For SIMs linked to deceased individuals, the PTA has set a deadline of October 15, 2024. Family members can transfer ownership of these SIMs by providing proof of relationship, the original death certificate, the original SIM or a police report if lost, and proof of usage.
PTA has already sent alert SMS notifications to concerned SIM holders regarding the upcoming blocking actions.
