The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) announced on Monday that it will begin suspending mobile SIMs registered to users with expired Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs). This action is part of the second phase of a nationwide crackdown on illegal SIM usage.
In a statement, the PTA revealed that “since August 16, more than 69,000 illegal SIMs have been blocked,” utilizing data from the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra). The authority emphasized that SIMs associated with CNICs that expired before 2017 and have not been renewed will be suspended.
The PTA has urged users to renew their identity cards to avoid disruption in their mobile services. This follows the first phase of the operation, where fake SIMs and SIMs linked to cancelled CNICs were blocked.
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The third phase will see the termination of SIMs registered in the names of deceased persons. The PTA also confirmed that awareness messages have been sent to users, advising them to update their data to prevent the blocking of their SIMs.
The crackdown on illegal SIMs is part of broader efforts to curb their misuse in activities such as terrorism, financial fraud, and other criminal activities. Over the past three and a half years, the PTA has blocked more than 363,000 URLs associated with illegal content. This includes a high rate of blocking for URLs related to unethical content, sectarianism, hate speech, and threats to national security.
The PTA continues to collaborate with social media platforms, which have blocked a significant portion of the flagged content. For instance, between January 2021 and June 2024, social media platforms blocked 307,610 URLs flagged for defamatory or impersonating content, achieving an overall blocking rate of 84.72%.
In cases of content related to contempt of court, the PTA acted on 2,480 URLs, with a blocking rate of 60.32%. The highest blocking rate was seen in the category of unethical content, with 96.46% of flagged URLs being blocked.
As the PTA progresses with its operations, it remains committed to securing the digital landscape of Pakistan by eliminating illegal SIMs and harmful online content.
