Pakistanis to be charged for unused SIMs!

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on Friday announced a fine on people who haven’t used their mobile SIMs (subscriber identity modules) for six months, ARY News reported.

In Pakistan, Cellular mobile operators provide SIMs to the masses for free and people also tend to have more of them than needed, leading to scores of SIMs not being used.

Taking notice of the issue, PTA announced a fine of Rs200 on people who haven’t used their mobile SIMs for a period of six months.

Press Release: Effective from January 1, 2024 , Cellular #Mobile Operators in #Pakistan and #AJK & #GB may levy a “#SIM Disowning Charge” up to Rs. 200 on SIMs having retention period of less than six months. pic.twitter.com/FRSnBCxpG0

— PTA (@PTAofficialpk) November 10, 2023

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”.

The PTA advised all 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,” it said.

The telecom regulator shared that 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.

“To check the status of registered SIMs, consumers can use the following methods: by visiting https://cnic.sims.pk/ or sending an SMS with CNIC number (without dashes) to 668 (charges apply).

“With this decision, PTA stays committed to national safety and security while ensuring uninterrupted quality services to all telecom consumers,” it added.

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