The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has taken strict action against telecom companies over alleged violations in SIM registration procedures. The PTA Crackdown resulted in combined penalties of Rs233 million against Zong and Telenor Pakistan.
The action followed complaints from citizens and inspections of sales points suspected of violating subscriber verification rules. Authorities investigated cases involving unauthorized SIM activations and possible breaches of biometric verification requirements.
According to reports, the case against Zong began after a customer complained about two SIM cards issued under his identity card without his knowledge. Following the complaint, PTA officials inspected two Zong franchise outlets in Lahore last year.
During the inspections, authorities reportedly recovered biometric verification devices, laptops, mobile phones, and several SIM cards considered suspicious. Officials launched an investigation to identify how unauthorized SIM registrations took place.
The investigation found alleged issues related to subscriber verification. PTA stated that the company failed to ensure the physical presence of customers during SIM registration. Officials also highlighted concerns regarding the use of Live Finger Detection (LFD) technology.
According to the findings, one biometric device processed a high number of SIM registrations linked to female CNIC holders from different districts. Another device showed unusual activation activity outside its assigned area.
Zong responded that all SIM registrations were completed through PTA-approved biometric systems. The company said internal checks found no evidence of fraud or procedural violations. It also maintained that the flagged devices represented only a small part of its franchise network.
Under telecom regulations, operators are responsible for every SIM issued through their networks. Following the investigation, PTA imposed a penalty of Rs116.7 million on Zong. The company was directed to submit the payment within ten days.
The PTA Crackdown also included action against Telenor Pakistan. The regulator investigated an alleged unauthorized sales operation at a kiosk inside Khyber Teaching Hospital in Peshawar.
PTA officials found that CRM system access was allegedly provided through a VPN connection. This reportedly allowed sensitive activities, including SIM activation and replacement, outside approved franchise locations.
Telenor stated that the issue involved an individual franchise employee acting independently. The company said it had taken action by removing the employee, penalizing the franchise, and blocking access.
However, PTA found the same employee operating from the location during a follow-up inspection. The regulator later imposed penalties as part of its continued efforts to strengthen SIM registration compliance.
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The latest PTA Crackdown highlights the authority’s focus on preventing misuse of subscriber information and ensuring secure telecom services across Pakistan.
