PTA Cracks Down on Illegal SIM Networks in Punjab, Thousands of SIMs Seized
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), in collaboration with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) Lahore, has intensified its crackdown on the illegal issuance and use of mobile SIMs. In a recent enforcement operation, coordinated raids were carried out in Multan, Kot Momin (Sargodha), and Hasilpur, leading to major seizures and multiple arrests.
A raid in Multan exposed a grey setup with a large number of active SIMs from various mobile operators. Although the suspect managed to flee during the operation, crucial evidence was recovered, including numerous illegally activated SIMs.
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Subsequent analysis of the seized SIMs helped investigators trace a Zong Franchise in Kot Momin. Authorities arrested the franchise owner and two associates from the site. Investigations revealed that a key figure in Hasilpur was supplying fingerprints and collecting activated SIMs for illegal use.
Further efforts led to the arrest of the primary suspect, who had been operating three Ufone franchises across Vehari, Hasilpur, and Multan. He was also formerly associated with a Jazz franchise in Lahore. The raids resulted in the recovery of a significant quantity of illicit equipment and SIMs, including 15,996 SIMs — 12,636 from Ufone, 1,370 from Jazz, 1,100 from Zong, and 890 from Telenor. Authorities also confiscated 18 Zong biometric verification (BVS) devices, a 128-port gateway, six 64-port gateways, and four 32-port gateways. A formal First Information Report (FIR) has been registered by the NCCIA.
In its recent steps to combat the SIM fraud issue, PTA has enhanced coordination with law enforcement agencies and deployed advanced data analytics to track irregular SIM issuance patterns. It has also launched public awareness campaigns and strengthened franchise monitoring to reduce misuse.
Citizens are urged to report suspicious SIM-related activities by calling PTA’s toll-free number 0800-55055 or lodging complaints online at https://complaint.pta.gov.pk/userlogin.aspx.
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