PTA IMPLEMENTS RS200 FINE FOR INACTIVE SIMS IN PAKISTAN:
URGES RESPONSIBLE USAGE.
In
Pakistan, telecom providers give out free SIMs (subscriber identity modules)
and people also tend to have more of them than needed, leading to scores of
SIMs not being used and kept idle.
This issue has been constant and the Pakistan
Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has taken notice of the situation, announcing
a fine of Rs200 on people who haven't used their SIMs for a period of six
months.
Effective from January 1, 2024, cellular mobile operators
in Pakistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and Gilgit Baltistan (GB) can levy a
"SIM Disowning Charge up to Rs200 on SIMs having a retention period of
less than six months".
To check the status of registered SIMs,
consumers can use the following methods:
- By
visiting https://cnic.sims.pk/
- Sending
an SMS with CNIC number (without dashes) to 668 (charges apply).
Furthermore, the PTA advised consumers to disown
or return unnecessary SIMs free of charge by December 31, 2023.
"By doing so, consumers can avoid SIM
disowning charges and contribute towards responsible usage of SIMs," the
telecommunication authority said in its statement.
A one-time waiver against the SIM disowning
charge will be granted in cases of illegal SIM issuance without the knowledge
or consent of the consumer, the body said.
"With this decision, the PTA stays
committed to national safety and security while ensuring uninterrupted quality
services to all telecom consumers," it added.
