The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has announced stronger SIM security measures by extending the SIM disowning period from 60 days to 365 days in an effort to prevent illegal SIM issuance and unauthorized registrations.

Under the revised policy, citizens are being advised to exercise greater caution during biometric verification for new SIM activation, as any newly activated SIM can now only be disowned after one year from the activation date.

PTA stated that the move is intended to improve transparency, strengthen identity protection, and reduce misuse linked to unauthorized mobile registrations.

To help users monitor registered connections, citizens are encouraged to check the number of SIMs linked to their CNIC through the official SIM information service or by sending their CNIC number without dashes via SMS to 668.

The authority also advised individuals to immediately report any unauthorized or suspicious SIM registration to their respective mobile network operator.

PTA urged the public to remain vigilant and ensure that only personally used SIMs remain registered against their CNIC to avoid misuse and identity-related risks.