According to SOPs issued by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, there is no possible way of re-verifying those Pakistani customers who are on roaming and are not planning to visit Pakistan before April 14th, 2015, we have officially checked with officials of cellular companies and PTA.
Such customers who are using Pakistani SIMs abroad — mainly because incoming SMS on roaming is free and they excessively use this facility — are apparently left with no possible way of avoiding cancellation of their SIMs, unless they physically visit Pakistan before the deadline and get their SIMs re-verified through biometric verification system.
Cellular companies told ProPakistani that they are yet to find a resolute way of getting such customers re-verified.
Pakistan Telecommunication Authority said that it is aware of the issue, however, it is yet to determine a way for international roamers to get their SIMs re-verified.
PTA said that there is small chunk of SIMs that are on international roaming as compared to the ones operating in Pakistan, and authority wanted to address larger issues first considering that time for re-verification is ridiculously short.
While we don’t have any stats about the amount of SIMs that are active with international roaming abroad, but as mentioned above incoming SMS on international roaming is absolutely free and there is a huge chunk that carries Pakistani SIMs while working abroad just because their FnF back in Pakistan can easily access them with just a text message.
Also Read: Everything you need to know about SIM Re-Verifications (FAQs)
Cellular companies and PTA are thinking about excepting the re-verification of those SIMs with NICOP (National ID Card for Overseas Pakistani). Meaning that if you have any SIM registered against a NICOP — ID card in English Language for people living or working abroad — then your SIM might not get blocked even after the deadline.
On the other hands, interior ministry believes that no SIM should be exempted, they are altogether discarding this proposal for exempting SIMs for re-verification that are registered against NICOP. However, chances are that interior ministry might agree for an extended deadline (say six months or nine) for NICOP registered SIMs.
One Way of Re-Verifying SIMs That are on Roaming:
Instead of waiting your SIM to get blocked, there is this unofficial way of re-verifying your SIMs if you are abroad and are not planning to visit Pakistan before April 14th, 2015. Keep reading to know further.
If SIM is somehow shipped to Pakistan — through letter or courier — then your local friend or family can get it transferred to their name and get this particular SIMÂ re-verified and shipped back to you.
Anyone who has physical possession of an active SIM can simply walk in to a service centre of respective company and can change ownership of SIM to his/her name by presenting a CNIC.
Please note that change of ownership is not possible without presenting an active SIM.
Once ownership is changed and SIM is biometrically verified, this SIM can be shipped back to international roamer and that’s it.
International roamers can always get the same SIM transferred back to their names once they are here in Pakistan in the future.
Arrangement should be made in Pakistan Embassies and customer can visit their during office and get verified. I don’t think its that hard to make such arrangements.
Best Way is to take simple white page thumb impression on that page scan it and send to the cellular companies through their emails with the copy of NICOP and Visa Copy. (same like if Cancellation of extra sims )
yes it is only scan copy of cnic and passport and visa done
what about those foreign nation living in pakistan on valid visa, how they re verify there pak sims through bvs.
I’m living abroad. Is it possible that i ask my father to verify sim at his own name and transfer ownership to my name when i come back?
Is there possibility to change ownership once its BVS verified ? :p
Even if the SIM is not on roaming, many expats have a Pakistani SIM which they use when they are in Pakistan. That can be years. Dispensation for NICOP holders must be made.
PTA should make a web app for Overseas Pakistanis with NICOP where they can login with there phone number and NICOP number and verify through biometric attached to their PC or smartphone.
At least those SIMS that have already matched NICOP will be verified.
umm! why not PTA gather the Passport data of all Overseas & assume a number of roaming sims? and then track that passport to the corresponding NIC from which It was issued upon? consequently reserving that number of sims when such requests are made to unblock them when these Overseas return home at any given time? or is it too much to ask of Hardworking PTA?
No need to send Sim back to home one of your family member will visit services centre of particular company and will give the number that you are using abroad and than a sms will come to you with a secret code imidiatly you will have to explain that code with the guy who is already in service centre and he will give this code to service centre representative and thus your Sim will be verified on your family member name
Did you tried this?
Alas! Overseas are once again neglected. I must say our country is being run by retards.
I think BVS is stupid. No point in reverifying SIMs at all. If there’s a terrorist who’s just about to suicide himself, will it matter if the SIM’s on his name? I mean isn’t human life bigger than just a stupid SIM card? If the person doesn’t care about his life, why would he care if the SIM is registered on his name? If Law Enforcing Agencies find out later on that the person whose name it was registered on was a suicide bomber, what can they do? Nothing special at all.
if pakistani embassy visisted with biometric machine in different location during visit and can charge 10 t0 20 riyal or 1 to two dollar international verification roamer also will be benefits of government pakistan
also if any snatch mobile or theift any sim the customer which code send to PTA the this is my name and mobile sim no and IMEI no so PTA should permanat close this mobile sim including with the mobile set through IMEI no. this IMEI no should registered in PTA so when any person will put own sim in this theift mobile or sim this mobile should no work and only message should appear their this mobile is theift so if this system will come in PAKISTAN all snatch mobile will stop no robbey and theift of mobile will be there
if any person wants change the sim and he is abroad and sim registered his brother or cousin name and after the visit or vacation in pakistan and showed the old sim can register on the abroad person