The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is preparing to block WhatsApp accounts registered against SIM cards that are inactive, cancelled or no longer in use, as part of a broader effort to curb fraud linked to the messaging platform.
The regulator said dormant mobile numbers are increasingly being exploited to run WhatsApp accounts used for scams and other illegal activity, prompting the decision to disconnect such accounts from the network.
PTA has instructed telecom operators to verify that WhatsApp accounts remain tied to numbers that are current and active, and has warned that enforcement could begin without further notice.
Subscribers have been told to check the status of their SIM cards and act quickly if their numbers are no longer functional. Anyone who has switched mobile numbers has been advised to update their WhatsApp account immediately, using the platform’s built-in number-change feature rather than waiting for the account to be affected.
PTA said timely updates give users continued control over their accounts and reduce the risk of losing access once the crackdown takes effect. The authority framed the move as a consumer-protection measure, aimed at closing a loophole that has allowed fraudulent accounts to operate undetected on abandoned numbers.
