Foreign SIMs in Pakistan: PTA draft would make roaming visitors verify identity, comments due 10 November

Visitors who use a foreign SIM or eSIM in Pakistan may soon have to verify their identity with a local mobile operator, under draft International Roaming (Inbound) Regulations, 2026 proposed by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), ProPakistani reported on Monday 12 October. The PTA wants written comments by 10 November 2026, and the rules take effect only after they are notified in the official Gazette.

What the draft would require

At present, foreign SIMs roaming on Jazz, Zong, Telenor or Ufone work without any local identity check. The draft changes that:

• KYC for inbound roamers: operators would verify everyone who connects with a foreign SIM or eSIM.
• Details that may be collected: passport or travel document details, nationality, SIM or eSIM details, arrival date, expected length of stay, and the name of the home operator abroad.
• How: a verification link in the welcome SMS you get on landing, a PTA-approved online portal, coordination with immigration at the border, and registered travel SIM and eSIM sellers.
• Records: operators would keep verification records for at least 12 months after a user stops roaming.
• eSIM sellers regulated: travel SIM and eSIM aggregators, the apps that sell data plans to travellers, would have to register with the PTA.
• Permanent roaming: the PTA would monitor foreign SIMs used long-term inside Pakistan, restrict abusive use and block connections linked to illegal activity.

Why the PTA says it is needed

The draft points to spoofed calls, SMS phishing, extortion, e-commerce fraud and misuse of social media accounts through foreign numbers that cannot be traced to anyone in Pakistan. Local SIMs have needed biometric verification since 2015; foreign roaming SIMs have been the gap.

What it means for you

• Overseas Pakistanis visiting home on their UK, Gulf or US numbers would likely get a verification SMS on arrival and need their passport details to complete it. Nothing changes until the rules are notified.
• Travellers who buy an eSIM data plan before flying in may have to go through a PTA-registered seller.
• Phones bought abroad are a separate matter: a handset used on a Pakistani SIM still needs PTA registration and tax, which you can estimate with our PTA tax calculator.

Anyone, including telecom users, can send comments to the PTA before 10 November. We will update this story when the final regulations are notified.