Daily Times

On Tuesday, Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) arrested the owner of a telecom franchise allegedly involved in illegally issuing SIMs in Mianwali as a part of its ongoing countrywide crusade, bringing into sharp focus a threat that goes well beyond mere regulatory oversight. Today, when hybrid warfare and cyber-attacks have become part and parvel of everyday reality, unregistered SIM cards serve as powerful tools in the hands of criminals and terror financiers. The stakes are extraordinarily high for Pakistan, a nation marked by regional volatility and in no place to afford any digital vulnerabilities.

Since last year, the Authority has intensified its crackdown against illicit actors, working closely with the Federal Investigation Agency and local law enforcement. Since January 2025, authorities have flagged and blocked more than 200,000 SIMs that failed to meet strict biometric verification standards. In a clear bid to modernize and secure our communications, the PTA-collaborating with NADRA-has introduced cutting-edge systems that monitor SIM issuance in real time. These efforts have reportedly resulted in a 60% drop in fraudulent activations compared to previous years.

This isn’t just bureaucratic housekeeping but a frontline defense of our national security. Intelligence agencies have consistently traced cross-border infiltration and acts of sabotage to operatives using illegally obtained Pakistani SIMs, especially in sensitive areas such as Balochistan and the tribal regions. Moreover, a growing number of extortion and kidnapping cases have been linked to communications conducted via these unregistered SIMs, proving that criminals are not only exploiting regulatory gaps but are weaponizing our communication infrastructure.

Both the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of IT & Telecom have praised these measures, noting improvements that even international bodies like the Financial Action Task Force have recognized as critical in curbing terror financing.

Fortunately for us, telecom companies are not sitting idly by. They’re also actively strengthening their own checks and balances. Yet, experts warn that this is just one part of the puzzle. Ongoing, rigorous oversight is needed to ensure no shady deals or backdoor collusion undermines the system, and to protect the privacy rights of every citizen.

In this interconnected world, protecting our digital space is far more than a technical fix. Our collective security depends on our determination to shut down these illegal networks once and for all. Without a secure digital frontier, the very fabric of our national sovereignty is at risk. *