Exclusive: Not All Unverified SIMs are Blocked

Unlike what Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and cellular companies of Pakistan have claimed, not all biometrically unverified SIMs are blocked, we have double checked.

According to ProPakistani findings, there are certain SIMs that were never verified but they are still operational. ProPakistani has a list of such unverified but operational SIMs available with it.

When PTA was asked about these unverified numbers, it said that it is impossible for any un-verified SIM to be operational after the entire re-verification exercise. Later on, when ProPakistani provided one of the SIM number to regulator as a proof, it said that all efforts will be made to rectify the issue.

ProPakistani has list of unverified SIMs that are still operational

ProPakistani — in a good faith — believes that these unverified SIMs were left unblocked due to technical glitches or system errors. However, it can get extremely pricey if these unverified SIMs — and other similar SIMs about which we don’t know — were not blocked and left operational on purpose.

An IT expert having first-hand knowledge of telecom networks while speaking with ProPakistani said that it is possible for few un-verified SIMs to be still active and working when millions of un-verified SIMs were blocked in batch mode.

In a good faith, it is believed that these unverified SIMs were left unblocked due to technical glitches or system errors. If so, this must be rectified

“While it is very unlikely, but yes it is possible for certain SIMs to remain operational even when they were blocked from the system-end mainly because of hardware, software or communication errors”, he opined.

Another IT expert told ProPakistani that telecom companies should have deployed fail-over solutions to cross-check the the ultimate termination of each un-verified SIM, which apparently they didn’t do. However, they still can! There are procedures and tools available to telecom companies to ensure that each un-verified SIM is fully terminated.

Background of SIM Re-Verification

After Peshawar attack on December 16th, 2014, a national action plan was finalized according to which all prepaid SIMs in Pakistan were to be verified through biometric verification system, while all unverified SIMs were to be blocked after the deadline.

PTA, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Information Technology and all cellular operators agreed to set a time-limit of 90 days as deadline for re-verification of SIMs after which all un-verified SIMs were to be blocked. PTA issued an SOP under which the entire re-verification process was carried and exercise was completed on April 12th, 2015.

After the completion of first deadline, Ministry of Interior granted cellular companies a grace-period of 30 days to complete the re-verification of white list (that had one SIM per Customer per CNIC per CMO) till May 15th, 2015.

On May 16th, after extended deadline finished, PTA announced that telecom operators had blocked all un-verified SIMs and that not a single un-verified SIM is active in the entire country.

What Next?

PTA told ProPakistani that an undertaking was signed by all CEOs of cellular operators in this regard in which they explicitly mentioned that all un-verified SIMs were blocked. According to PTA, CEOs signed such undertaking twice and a copy was dispatched to Ministry of Interior for the records.

With such undertakings from CEOs, telecom companies should have cent percent ensured that all un-verified SIMs were fully blocked and that no communication activity, in whatever way, is allowed to/from such unverified SIMs.

They still should, otherwise we all know how ugly it can get.

Tech and telecom reporter for over 15 years


  • Please clear how many SIMs are unblocked? After applying this security measure, PTA should allow us to buy an unlimited number of SIMs, not 5.

  • may be companies want to earn more no matter how long it take to verify

  • if PTA will close all unverified sims how will Political parties gangs will threaten the business man and people and will get money for Parties leaders. It will never happen.

  • it’s obvious that it wont be any breaking news on any media until unless any major loss happen for which they point their fingers towards telecom sector once again.

    :-(

  • yar kisi k paas koi unregistered or unverified working SIM pari he to mujhe de de, I will pay as demanded. maine apni girlfriends se baat karni hoti he us number se

  • @aamir The day you won’t get Income support message & got international number from international calls you can think all unverified sims are blocked. till Date I still get income support message & occasional local number in international calls.

    Mobile companies should take this seriously before an other mishap happens & unverified sims is used.

    • Yes, they’re showing multiple old records, perhaps, they didn’t update their database?

      • Yes , they have not updated their record. I have bought new sim but it is not reflected in their record

  • 668 verification system says that I have 6 sims in my name, given that one can only have 5 sims in his/her name, it makes all the exercise carried out by telecom operators questionable for me.

  • Verification drive was a farce. In the whole circus, a few people made money and took off. Its about time that APS victims sue telcos for unverified sims. Without massive lawsuits, the menace will never be eradicated.

  • I have some telenor and mobilink unverified sims and all of them are working. Only warid has blocked my unverified sim

  • Zong Ki 3 SIM Hamary ID Card Par Register Thi Ham Unhain 28 February Se Pehly Disown Karwany K Liay Cs Rawalpindi Sadar Gay Onhon NE Thumb Lagwaya or kahha Sab Ho Gai Hain Lakin Ham NE Dobara Check Kia To I’d Card Par Register Thi Ham unky Chor Waly Office Gay Unhon Ne Bhi Thumb Lagwaya Or Kaha Remove Kar Di Laikin Abhi Tak SiM Active Hain Or Ham Zong K Office K Chakar Laga Kar Thak Chuky Hain Ab Cs Rawalpindi Sadar Waly Kehty Hain Apki Taman SIM verified Hain Ham Isy Disown Nahi Kar Sakty Zong Waly is Tarha Froad Kar Rahay Hain
    Or Zong Ki SIM Se MNP SMS Ka Reply Bhi Nahi Aata Yani 667 Bhi Block Kar Rakha Ha
    Please Help Me

  • all this verification drama was done on instructions from agencies to avoid terrorism.
    but even after verification we are still facing the same wave of terrorism.
    so why were they bothering common man ?
    was that a drama to divert people attention from agencies bad performance

  • This sounds absolutely correct. As I received that fraudulent call claiming that your number have won 500,000 RS. This can not be done from a verified sim.


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