PTA bans sale of SIMs during late-night hours

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has instructed all Cellular Mobile Operators (CMOs) to stop the sale of SIM cards during late-night hours, from midnight to 6am, across the country.

According to a statement issued by the authority, the decision has been taken to improve regulatory compliance and prevent the illegal issuance of SIMs.

Under the new instructions, all authorised SIM-selling points, including franchises and retail outlets, must follow the specified timings. PTA warned that any violation of the directives would result in strict legal and regulatory action under telecom laws.

The authority also urged citizens to buy SIMs only from authorised outlets during the approved hours and make sure biometric verification is completed before activation.

PTA asked the public to report any violations through its Complaint Management System (CMS), the PTA CMS App, the PTA Digital Assistant on WhatsApp at 0315-0055055, or its toll-free helpline 0800-55055.

The regulator said the step is part of its efforts to safeguard consumers, stop the misuse of SIM cards, and maintain a secure and transparent telecom system in the country.