ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has intensified its crackdown on the use of illegal SIM cards and the unlawful sale of foreign SIMs, blocking 1,838,689 SIMs during the first seven months of 2026.
According to the PTA, 691,102 illegal SIMs were blocked between January and July. In addition, 903,230 SIMs registered against the national identity cards of deceased individuals were also deactivated.
The authority said action was taken against the continued use of SIMs registered in the names of deceased persons despite repeated warnings.
Furthermore, 244,357 SIMs registered against cancelled or expired national identity cards were also blocked.
As part of its ongoing crackdown on the illegal sale of foreign SIMs, the PTA conducted 25 raids, recovering 8,051 foreign SIMs and arresting 37 suspects.
The PTA said enforcement operations would continue to curb the use of illegal SIMs and strengthen the security of Pakistan's telecommunications network.