PTA responds to reports of SIM issuance on passports, re-verification

By Muhammad JuniadPublished On 03 Oct 2023

In a message on X, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) denied such media reports claiming mandatory re-verification of SIM cards in Pakistan and the issuance of one SIM on a passport.

It read, “In response to the news circulating in various media outlets, it is stated that no such decision by the government has been taken as of yet on matters related to the re-verification of #SIMs in #Pakistan, especially in KPK & the issuance of one SIM on a passport. “

The authority also clarified, “International Roaming of Pakistani SIMs in Afghanistan and vice versa is already blocked.”

In December 2022, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) started issuing SIMs through an enhanced version of the Biometric Verification System (BVS) called Multi Finger Biometric Verification System (MBVS).

A ceremony was held at the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Headquarters to sign the contract between NADRA and cellular mobile operators (CMOs) after a seamless conversion to the updated version of the biometric system.

The BVS devices that are currently available in the market have been modified to comply with the new system’s standards through NADRA and CMOs. While issuing new or duplicate SIM cards, the new system demands impressions of multiple fingers for authentication and applicant antecedents.

Additionally, the control for the choice of fingers for verification purposes has been shifted from the seller representative to the system which asks for two different fingers’ impressions randomly. The implementation of the new system will make the illegal use of fake fingerprints impossible.