PTA, FIA Target Unauthorized SIM Issuance Network

In an ongoing effort to stop illegal SIM issuance, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), with support from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) – Federal Government of Pakistan – Cyber Crime Wing, carried out successful raids in Quetta and Gujrat.

In Quetta, officials raided a Ufone 4G franchise at the Engineering Building on Zarghoon Road. They arrested the franchise owner, Usman Ahmed, and confiscated biometric verification system (BVS) devices, computers, and a stock of unregistered SIM cards.

Meanwhile in Gujrat, acting on a complaint from Karachi, PTA’s Lahore Zonal Office and the FIA Cyber Crime Reporting Centre (CCRC) Gujranwala raided a Zong CMPak Ltd franchise on Bhimber Road. There, they uncovered 433 SIMs issued using Sindh-based CNICs. 57 of those were activated through a single BVS device. The franchise owner was arrested.

These operations are part of PTA’s campaign against illegal SIM activity, a growing threat to national digital security. The authority has pledged to continue working with law enforcement to end such practices.

PTA urges the public to report suspicious SIM activity and only use verified, authorized channels for SIM registration.