PTA says buying or selling foreign SIM cards in Pakistan is illegal, warns of fraud risk
The telecom regulator has told the public not to buy, sell or use foreign SIMs and to keep only locally registered connections in their own name.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has declared buying and selling foreign SIM cards in Pakistan illegal, in a public awareness message on Monday 2 November 2026, ProPakistani reported. The regulator warned that foreign SIMs can be used for fraud and other crimes, and that people who buy or use them can end up facing legal and security trouble.
What the PTA said
- Buying and selling foreign SIM cards in Pakistan is illegal.
- Foreign SIMs carry serious security risks because they can be misused for fraud and other unlawful purposes.
- Buyers and users can be exposed to legal complications if a SIM they hold is linked to a crime.
- Citizens should use only locally registered SIM cards issued in their own name, and make sure every connection they use is properly registered.
Why this matters
Every SIM sold in Pakistan is tied to a CNIC through biometric verification. A foreign SIM sold over the counter in a Pakistani market is not, which makes it attractive to people running scam calls, fake prize messages and WhatsApp fraud, because the number cannot be traced to a person here. The PTA's message is aimed at anyone selling such SIMs here and at the people who buy them.
The warning comes as the regulator tightens the rules around SIMs more generally. In October it published a draft that would make visitors on international roaming verify their identity, with comments due by 10 November (our story on the draft).
What you should do
- Do not buy a foreign SIM from a shop, a market stall or an online seller in Pakistan.
- Check the SIMs in your name: send your 13-digit CNIC number, without dashes, by SMS to 668. The reply lists how many connections each operator has registered against it.
- Block anything you do not recognise by visiting your operator's franchise with your CNIC. A SIM in your name that someone else is using can be traced back to you.
- Overseas Pakistanis and visitors using their own home-country SIM on roaming are not buying or selling a SIM here, but watch for the final roaming rules once the PTA settles the October draft.
If you are bringing a phone back from abroad, the separate PTA registration tax still applies to the handset itself. Our PTA tax calculator gives the duty for each model.
Frequently asked questions
- Is it illegal to use a foreign SIM in Pakistan?
- The PTA says buying and selling foreign SIM cards in Pakistan is illegal and has advised citizens to use only locally registered SIMs issued in their own name. Visitors on international roaming are covered by separate rules.
- How do I check how many SIMs are registered in my name?
- Send your CNIC number without dashes by SMS to 668, or use PTA's online SIM information system. Block any connection you do not recognise through your operator.
Sources
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