More than 5.8 million SIM cards that are no longer in use have been blocked nationwide, according to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).
The PTA said in a statement that it targeted unlawful SIMs with 40 raids in different cities. Authorities seized 152 biometric verification system devices and 7,500 SIM cards during these operations. 47 suspects were also taken into custody.
Kasur, Kharian, Sialkot, Lahore, Peshawar, Pano Aqil, Kashmore, Sukkur, Sheikhupura, Sharqpur Sharif, Rawalpindi, Multan, Sahiwal, and Hassan Abdal were among the places where the searches were conducted.
For the fiscal year 2023–2024, the PTA said it also plans to crack down on unauthorized SIMs.
