The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has ordered all mobile operators to keep prepaid mobile balance and recharges valid for at least 180 days, giving prepaid users a longer window to use their credit before it expires. The new rule will take effect from October 1, 2026, applying uniformly across the country’s mobile network operators regardless of their existing internal balance validity policies.
PTA said the measure is aimed at protecting consumers and ensuring that all mobile operators follow the same minimum validity period, addressing inconsistencies that have previously existed across different networks regarding how long prepaid balance remains usable before expiring. The regulator has also clarified that expired balance must be restored if a customer recharges the number while the SIM remains active and usable, in line with the Consumer Protection Regulations, closing a gap that had previously left some recharging customers unable to recover balance that had already lapsed.
PTA said the decision is part of its broader efforts to strengthen consumer protection and promote fair practices in the telecom sector, an area the regulator has increasingly focused on through data driven complaint resolution and standardized service requirements across operators. The move follows a pattern of PTA using regulatory directives to standardize practices across Pakistan’s telecom industry, ensuring subscribers receive consistent treatment regardless of which network they use.
The new validity requirement adds to a series of consumer-facing measures PTA has introduced in recent years aimed at improving transparency and fairness in how mobile operators manage prepaid accounts. With mobile balance expiry policies varying between operators in the past, the standardized 180 day minimum is expected to give prepaid subscribers, who make up the large majority of Pakistan’s mobile users, clearer and more predictable expectations around how long their recharged balance will remain valid.
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