The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has slapped combined fines of roughly Rs740 million on the country’s four major mobile network operators after uncovering widespread breaches in SIM issuance rules. The penalties target unauthorised SIM activations and serious gaps in biometric verification and franchise oversight.
The action was taken under Section 23 of the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organisation) Act, 1996, following a string of investigations into how SIMs were being issued across operator networks.
How Much Each Operator Was Fined
Under the latest round of PTA fines on cellular operators, the penalty breakdown stands as follows:
- China Mobile Pakistan (Zong): Rs155.6 million
- Jazz (PTML): Rs116.7 million
- Telenor Pakistan: Rs116.7 million
- Ufone (PTML): Rs116.7 million, plus two additional penalties of Rs77.8 million and Rs38.9 million in separate cases
These combined actions push the total penalty figure across all four operators to approximately Rs740 million.
Unauthorised SIMs Issued Without Consent
PTA’s enforcement orders found that in several instances, SIMs had been issued and activated using subscribers’ CNICs without their knowledge, consent, or physical presence. Investigators say this directly breached the Subscriber Antecedents Verification Regulations and the Standard Operating Procedures that govern biometric verification for SIM issuance.
Notably, the authority dismissed one operator’s defence that biometric verification through NADRA was sufficient grounds for compliance. PTA ruled that a successful biometric match does not release an operator from its broader legal duty to confirm lawful issuance and genuine subscriber consent.
Telenor Case Highlights Franchise Failures
In Telenor Pakistan’s case, PTA determined that a SIM had been activated against a subscriber’s CNIC through an authorised franchise — again, without her consent. A subsequent probe led to the recovery of multiple biometric verification devices, laptops, and SIM inventory from the franchise location.
PTA made clear that operators cannot shift blame onto franchisees by claiming they operate as independent contractors. Regulatory rules, the authority noted, place full responsibility for every SIM sold squarely on the licensed operator itself.
Ufone’s Large-Scale SIM Violations
Ufone faced the heaviest scrutiny among the four operators, with multiple enforcement actions stemming from large-scale illegal SIM issuance through its sales channels.
One raid alone led to the recovery of more than 12,600 active SIMs, along with biometric devices and other equipment linked to unlawful activations. Additional investigations uncovered unauthorised SIM issuance without customer consent through franchise outlets operating in different cities.
Jazz Penalised for Regulatory Breaches
PTA also imposed a fine of Rs116.7 million on Pakistan Mobile Communications Limited (Jazz) for failing to meet regulatory requirements tied to SIM issuance and biometric verification procedures.
What This Means Going Forward
This latest round of PTA fines on cellular operators signals a tightening grip on SIM issuance practices across Pakistan’s telecom sector. With regulators holding operators — not just franchisees — directly accountable, mobile companies may need to overhaul how they monitor retail and franchise-level SIM sales to avoid further penalties.
