The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has taken strong action against Pakistan’s four major mobile operators. The regulator has imposed a total fine of Rs. 740 million on these companies for issuing illegal SIM cards without the consent of CNIC holders.
PTA said the telecom companies did not properly supervise their franchisees and biometric verification systems. This weakness allowed many unauthorized SIMs to be registered in the names of innocent people. Such mistakes create serious risks like identity theft, cybercrimes, and financial fraud.
The four big operators, Jazz, Telenor, Zong, and Ufone, have been told to pay the penalties within the given time. If they fail to pay, they may face more legal action. PTA holds the companies fully responsible for every SIM issued on their networks, even through third-party sellers.
This big fine shows PTA’s serious effort to clean up the SIM registration process. The authority regularly raids illegal sellers and blocks fake or misused SIMs.
Citizens are advised to check SIMs registered on their CNIC through PTA’s helpline (0800-55055) or online portal and report any unknown numbers immediately. People should only buy new SIMs from authorized shops and never share their details.
