The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has imposed cumulative fines of about Rs740 million on the country’s four cellular mobile operators after finding what it described as repeated violations of SIM issuance regulations and subscriber verification requirements.
The penalties were issued under Section 23 of the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organisation) Act, 1996, following investigations into cases involving SIM activations that, according to the regulator, did not fully comply with the prescribed biometric verification and subscriber consent procedures.
Under the enforcement orders, China Mobile Pakistan (Zong) was fined Rs155.6 million. Jazz, Telenor Pakistan and Ufone each received fines of Rs116.7 million in separate cases. Ufone was also handed two additional penalties of Rs77.8 million and Rs38.9 million, taking the total fines imposed on all operators to nearly Rs740 million.
PTA said its investigations found instances where SIMs were activated against subscribers’ Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs) without their knowledge or physical presence. The regulator maintained that licensed operators are responsible for ensuring compliance with subscriber verification rules across their authorised sales channels.
One case involving Zong related to the activation of a SIM through an authorised franchise in Lahore. During a subsequent inspection, officials recovered laptops, biometric verification devices and around 150 SIMs. PTA said the operator remained responsible for ensuring proper verification, regardless of whether biometric authentication had been completed.
Telenor Pakistan was also penalised after PTA said a SIM linked to the same subscriber’s CNIC was activated through one of its authorised franchises without the subscriber’s consent. The regulator said biometric devices, laptops and SIM inventory were recovered during the investigation.
Ufone faced multiple enforcement actions following separate investigations into its sales channels. In one case, authorities recovered more than 12,600 active SIMs and biometric verification equipment during an inspection. Other investigations related to SIM activations carried out through franchise outlets in different cities.
Jazz was fined after PTA concluded that certain SIM issuances did not meet regulatory requirements relating to subscriber verification and oversight of authorised sales outlets.
The regulator said operators are expected to strengthen monitoring of franchise networks and ensure the effective use of security measures such as Live Finger Detection technology and geofencing on biometric verification devices.
PTA has directed the operators to deposit the fines within the stipulated period. It said further legal action could be initiated under the law if the orders are not complied with.
This version keeps the story factual, repeatedly attributes the findings to PTA, avoids presenting allegations as established facts, and is less likely to be viewed as taking sides.