In a move to enhance national security and prevent fraud, the Ministry of Interior has directed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to begin a phased deactivation of mobile SIMs linked to expired, cancelled, or invalid Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs).
This decision comes on the recommendation of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), which provided the Ministry with detailed data identifying such CNICs.
Read More: Good News for Solar Panel Consumers in Pakistan
According to the Ministry’s official letter to the PTA, the deactivation process will begin on June 30, 2025, with SIMs registered under CNICs that expired in 2017. Subsequently, SIMs tied to CNICs expired in 2018 will be deactivated on July 31, 2025, followed by those expired in 2019 on August 31, 2025.
The phased process will continue through the year, with deactivation schedules for 2020, 2021, and 2022 CNICs.
In the final phase, SIMs registered on CNICs expired in 2023, 2024, and 2025 will be deactivated by December 31, 2025. A total of 4,906,611 CNICs have been identified as either expired or invalid, which could pose a risk to the integrity of the digital ecosystem and mobile networks.
Citizens are urged to renew their CNICs promptly to avoid service disruptions and ensure continued access to the national identity system.
