ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) announced on Monday its decision to begin suspending mobile SIMs associated with users whose Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs) have expired and remain unrenewed. This measure marks the second phase of the PTA’s ongoing campaign to combat the illegal use of SIMs across the country.
In a statement released today, the PTA specified that SIMs linked to CNICs expired before 2017 will be the initial targets of this suspension. The authority urged affected users to renew their identity cards promptly to avoid disruptions to their mobile services.
The PTA’s operation, which began with the blocking of fake SIMs and the cancellation of CNICs during its first phase, has already seen significant progress. “Since August 16, more than 69,000 illegal SIMs have been blocked,” the statement revealed. This action is based on data provided by the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra).
The third phase of the operation will involve the termination of SIMs registered under the names of deceased individuals. Prior to suspending any SIMs, the PTA has ensured that users receive awareness messages prompting them to update their personal information.
The PTA emphasized that fake SIMs are frequently exploited in illegal activities, including terrorism and financial fraud. The authority also provided an update on its broader efforts to combat unlawful content online. Over the past three and a half years, more than 363,000 URLs have been blocked for hosting illegal content.
From January 2021 to June 2024, the PTA reported that the lowest blocking rate was observed in the category of defamatory or impersonating content, with social media platforms blocking 307,610 URLs out of a total of 363,000, reflecting an overall blocking rate of 84.72%.
The PTA has also acted on 2,480 URLs related to contempt of court, with a blocking rate of 60.32%, and addressed 10,1682 URLs concerning security and defense, blocking 73% of them. Content against the glory of Islam saw a high blocking rate of 81.3%, while URLs related to sectarianism and hate speech had a 91% blocking rate.
The highest blocking rate was recorded in the category of unethical content, with 96.46% of examined URLs being blocked. All 51 URLs related to proxy content were also successfully blocked.
