ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has carried out extensive operations over the past year against illegal SIM cards and cyber fraud. In this regard, as per the PTA millions of illegal and inactive SIM cards were blocked as part of a comprehensive database cleansing exercise.
So far, the official figures show that more than 5.1 million SIMs were blocked during the year. These included inactive SIMs, SIMs registered in the names of deceased individuals, and SIMs issued against cancelled or expired national identity cards.
Furthermore, the authorities stated that over 3.2 million SIMs registered under the names of deceased persons were deactivated. In addition, hundreds of thousands of SIMs linked to expired identity cards were blocked.
The PTA also took action against SIMs issued to foreign nationals who had been repatriated, blocking more than 100,000 such connections. The PTA moved against online platforms involved in unlawful activities. The authority reported that 83 websites engaged in the illegal sale of SIM cards were blocked during the year.
Moreover, to further dismantle criminal networks, the PTA, in collaboration with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), conducted raids across the country. These operations took place in 24 cities, where dozens of enforcement actions were carried out. During the raids, thousands of local and foreign SIMs were seized.
The PTA has introduced stricter regulations for SIM issuance to increase public safety.
The PTA focused on that these measures are part of a broader strategy to combat cybercrime, ensure transparency in the telecom sector, and safeguard citizens from fraud and identity misuse.
The authority confirmed its commitment to continuing coordinated efforts with law enforcement agencies to maintain a secure and reliable telecommunications environment across Pakistan.
