Late-Night SIM Sales Across Pakistan Banned

Islamabad: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has directed all Cellular Mobile Operators (CMOs) to suspend the sale of SIM cards across Pakistan during late-night hours from 12:00 AM to 6:00 AM.

According to the PTA, the decision is part of ongoing efforts to enhance regulatory compliance and prevent the illegal issuance of SIMs.

Under the new directives, all authorized SIM sale channels, including franchisees and retailers, are required to strictly observe the prescribed timings.

The authority warned that any violation of the instructions would result in strict legal and regulatory action under applicable telecom laws and regulations.

PTA also advised citizens to purchase SIMs only from authorized sales outlets during permitted hours and to ensure that biometric verification is completed before SIM activation.

Earlier,  the PTA had warned mobile phone users to keep their Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs) valid and updated to avoid blocking of their SIM cards.

According to the PTA, mobile SIMs registered against expired, cancelled, or deceased CNICs are being blocked as part of efforts to strengthen digital security across the country.

The authority urged citizens to renew their CNICs through NADRA to prevent service disruption.

In its statement, the PTA stressed the importance of uninterrupted mobile connectivity and advised users to ensure timely verification of their identity records.

The PTA also advised users to keep their information updated with mobile operators and activate their CNICs through NADRA to maintain uninterrupted mobile services and secure communication.

Earlier, the NADRA said it would immediately block the mobile SIMs issued against expired or fake CNICs.

The decision was taken during a high-level meeting chaired by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi at the NADRA Headquarters.

According to the decision, all SIMs issued on expired CNICs in 2017 or earlier will be blocked in the first phase.

In the next phases, the same policy will be applied to SIMs issued on CNICs cancelled after 2017, as per the decision.

It was further resolved in the meeting that only valid and active CNICs will be eligible for the issuance and continuation of SIMs. NADRA chairman stated that the action targets SIMs issued to deceased individuals or holders of expired identity cards.