Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has directed all mobile phone users across the country to keep their Computerized National Identity Cards active, warning that failure to do so could result in suspension of mobile services. In a notice issued to mobile subscribers nationwide, the authority said uninterrupted mobile connectivity depends on the continued validity of the CNIC linked to each SIM, placing the responsibility on subscribers to ensure their identity documentation remains current.
The authority identified three specific circumstances under which a SIM could be blocked at any time. The first applies to cases where the CNIC associated with a SIM has been cancelled by National Database and Registration Authority. The second covers situations where the linked CNIC has simply expired without renewal. The third applies to SIMs that remain registered in the name of a person who has died, a scenario the regulator flagged as a common but often overlooked compliance gap among mobile subscribers.
To avoid disruption, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority advised subscribers whose CNICs have expired to renew their cards with National Database and Registration Authority without delay. It further instructed users facing blocking or technical issues related to CNIC cancellation to visit their nearest National Database and Registration Authority office for resolution. The authority also urged subscribers to ensure that no SIM remains registered under the CNIC of a deceased person, noting that in such cases, the legal heir or spouse of the deceased can transfer ownership of the SIM to their own name by submitting the required documentary proof at the service center or franchise of the relevant mobile company.
Pakistan Telecommunication Authority officials appealed to all mobile users to ensure timely renewal of their identity cards to prevent any disruption to their mobile connectivity. The advisory reflects the regulator’s continued emphasis on linking SIM registration status to valid national identity records, a practice that has underpinned Pakistan’s broader efforts to curb SIM related fraud and unauthorized mobile service usage in recent years.
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