The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has imposed cumulative penalties of nearly Rs740 million on the country’s four mobile operators after investigations uncovered repeated violations of SIM issuance regulations. The regulator said the companies failed to prevent unauthorized SIM activations and did not maintain proper oversight of their franchise networks and biometric verification systems.
The enforcement actions were taken under Section 23 of the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organization) Act, 1996. According to the orders, China Mobile Pakistan (Zong) received fines totaling Rs155.6 million, while Jazz, Telenor Pakistan and Ufone each faced penalties of Rs116.7 million. Ufone was also hit with additional fines of Rs77.8 million and Rs38.9 million in separate cases, bringing the total penalties to around Rs740 million.
PTA said the operators repeatedly failed to comply with mandatory subscriber verification requirements despite receiving regulatory directions aimed at curbing illegal SIM sales and identity fraud. The authority found several cases where SIMs were issued and activated against subscribers’ Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) numbers without their knowledge, consent or physical presence.
One of the most serious cases involved Zong. PTA said a SIM was activated against a subscriber’s CNIC through an authorized franchise in Lahore without the person’s knowledge. A subsequent raid at the franchise led to the recovery of laptops, biometric verification devices and around 150 SIM cards, which the regulator said pointed to significant irregularities in the SIM issuance process.
Zong argued that the SIM had been activated through NADRA’s biometric verification system. However, PTA rejected the defense and said successful biometric authentication alone does not remove an operator’s legal responsibility to ensure that a SIM is issued lawfully and with the subscriber’s genuine consent.
Telenor Pakistan faced similar action after investigators found that a SIM had been activated against the same subscriber’s CNIC without her approval. During the investigation, authorities recovered several biometric verification devices, laptops, and SIM inventory from the franchise premises.
The regulator also rejected arguments that franchisees operate independently from mobile operators. PTA said telecom regulations place full responsibility for every SIM sold on the licensed operator, regardless of whether the sale takes place directly or through an authorized franchise.
Ufone, meanwhile, faced multiple enforcement actions after investigations uncovered what PTA described as large-scale illegal SIM issuance through its sales channels. In one case, authorities recovered more than 12,600 active SIMs, along with biometric verification devices and other equipment allegedly used in unlawful SIM activations.
Separate investigations involving Ufone also found instances where SIMs were activated without subscribers’ consent through franchise outlets in different cities. PTA said the cases highlighted persistent weaknesses in monitoring and compliance systems across the operator’s sales network.
Pakistan Mobile Communications Limited (Jazz) was also fined Rs116.7 million for violating regulations governing SIM issuance and biometric verification. According to the regulator, SIMs were issued without demonstrating subscriber consent through physical presence at authorized sales channels. PTA also cited inadequate supervision and weak monitoring of franchise outlets and Biometric Verification System (BVS) devices.
The authority noted that all operators already have detailed compliance procedures in place. However, it said they failed to effectively monitor franchisees and retailers, allowing repeated violations to continue despite existing safeguards.
PTA further said the operators did not properly implement Live Finger Detection (LFD) technology and geofencing controls on biometric verification devices. These measures were introduced to prevent identity theft, biometric spoofing, and unauthorized SIM activations.
Illegal SIM issuance can expose consumers to identity theft, cyber fraud and financial crimes, according to the regulator. PTA added that such practices also increase the risk of misuse of Pakistan’s telecommunications infrastructure and undermine trust in the country’s digital ecosystem.
The authority has directed all operators to deposit their respective fines within the prescribed period. It warned that further legal action will be initiated under the law if the companies fail to comply with the orders.
