Directive Issued to Allow Maximum of 5 SIMs Against One CNIC

Following the orders of Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudry, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has introduced a big amendment in “Subscriber Antecedents Verification Regulation 2010” by permitting most of five SIMs against one CNIC of any operator.

Earlier Chief Justice of Pakistan had ordered to form arrangements necessary to form positive that just one SIM can be issued against one CNIC.



Before this directive, every CNIC holder may own ten SIMs of 1 operator, or forty SIMs of four cellular operators at most. however in line with the new rule, one client are able to hold most of five SIMs against his/her CNIC of 1 or multiple operators.

Government of Pakistan’s SRO that revised recent regulation said:

Amendment of Regulation seven, SRO 1189(1)/2010 of 2010 – at page 3975 regulation seven shall be substituted and browse as following:

“Maximum range of SIM(s) to be issued to individual CNIC holders – All CNIC holders shall be entitled to buy in their name up to a most of 5 SIM(s) whether or not from one or a lot of operators”

Reportedly, the directive has been received by mobile cellular operators and that they are evaluating their choices for the implementation of this order.

The standing of these connections that are sold in past and are in access of five in range on one CNIC remains unclear. business is hoping that this rule are applicable on new sales solely and people connections that have already been sold won't be impacted.

An official of a cellular operator argued that directive from Pakistan Telecommunication Authority doesn’t make a case for the standing of already sold SIMs, that business can anticipate customary Operating Procedures which may not be created offered soon given the Chairman PTA is stepping down on July twenty fourth, 2012.

Officials of telecom business believe that issuing the directive is meaningless unless the quality operating procedures aren’t revised by PTA. He maintained that blockade of recent connections exceeding five SIMs on single CNIC can arise serious problems for purchasers and mobile corporations.

Analysts believe that this directive isn't implementable unless authority keeps a check on mobile companies’ records. They opined that cellular mobile operators can have to be compelled to keep track of range of SIMs issued on one CNIC and may deny activation for quite five SIMs on single CNIC at 789 activation section – that isn’t happening as of currently a minimum of.

A legal knowledgeable, when contacted for opinion, said that Supreme Court will take suo motu notice if its judgments aren’t implemented by PTA, that telecom authority is suppose to submit a compliance report with in specific time-frame.

It is feared that range of mobile association can notably return down if this rule of five SIMs on single CNIC is implemented on already sold SIMs too.

Note: Customers will check range of SIMs issued on their CNIC through 668 service or by clicking on this link: http://www.pta.gov.pk/668/.