Rules Timeline · Dated Master List
PTA SIM Rules in Pakistan: the Complete Dated Timeline (2026)
PTA SIM rules in Pakistan now stack across fourteen years, from the first five-SIM cap in 2012 to the 365-day disowning lock of May 2026. This dated timeline gathers every verified court and regulator change in one place, each beside its source. The wider toolkit sits at Check SIM Owner Details Pakistan.
Key takeaways
- The SIM cap is 8 per CNIC: 5 voice plus 3 data, fixed by the Supreme Court on 5 November 2015.
- New SIMs carry a 365-day lock on disowning and transfer under PTA’s 24 May 2026 advisory.
- Disowning an unknown SIM costs Rs 200 or less, and is waived in fraud cases, since 1 January 2024.
- SIMs on expired CNICs entered a phased-suspension queue after PTA’s 8 April 2026 advisory.
- New SIM sales pause nightly between midnight and 6 AM under the rule dated 19 May 2026.
Scope note: this timeline explains the rules that govern SIMs on your own CNIC. Checking or acting on a line tied to someone else’s identity is a separate matter, drawn precisely on our legality page under PECA 2016.
On this page
The complete PTA SIM rules timeline
Rules governing Pakistani SIMs did not arrive in one document. They accreted, court order by court order and advisory by advisory, across more than a decade. Some tightened the ceiling on how many SIMs a single CNIC may carry. Others changed what you pay to disown a stranger’s line, or when a shop is even allowed to sell you a fresh connection. The table below lays them out in order, with the issuing body beside each entry so you can trace it yourself.
| Date | Rule or change | Source | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 May 2012 | First SIM cap set at five per CNIC | Supreme Court | The original ceiling on lines tied to one identity. |
| 5 Nov 2015 | Cap raised to eight: five voice plus three data | Supreme Court (CJ A.Z. Jamali) | The eight-SIM limit still in force today. |
| 1 Jan 2024 | Disowning fee capped at Rs 200, waived in fraud | PTA | Removing an unknown SIM turned cheap, or free after fraud. |
| 24 Jan 2024 | Seven-day NADRA wait before a second new SIM | PTA (letter 18 Jan 2024) | A cooling-off gap between two freshly issued lines. |
| 3 Jun 2025 | NCCIA becomes operational with the 1799 helpline | NCCIA | A dedicated agency and line for cybercrime and SIM fraud. |
| Jan 2026 | NADRA facial-recognition certificate at Rs 20 | NADRA | A low-cost biometric route added to identity checks. |
| 26 Feb 2026 | PTA Digital Assistant launches on WhatsApp at 0315-0055055 | PTA | A chat channel for rule queries and complaints. |
| 8 Apr 2026 | Advisory on about 8.1 million SIMs on expired CNICs | PTA | Those lines entered a phased-suspension queue pending renewal. |
| 19 May 2026 | New SIM sales barred between midnight and 6 AM | PTA | Shops cannot issue fresh connections overnight. |
| 24 May 2026 | 365-day lock on disowning and transferring new SIMs | PTA advisory (gazette L-7646, 11 May) | A newly issued SIM is frozen from disown or transfer for a year. |
| 1 Jul 2026 | Telenor Pakistan amalgamated into PTML | IHC-approved (PTCL group) | Ownership changed; the Telenor brand and its codes stay live. |
Two entries deserve a caveat. The 365-day lock was widely misreported when it broke, so we anchor it to gazette notification L-7646 dated 11 May 2026 and to Geo Fact Check, which rated the rule true on 4 June after DG A. Shamim confirmed it. The merger, likewise, changed ownership rather than service. Telenor’s brand, its SIMs and every USSD code still work exactly as before.
The four rules that affect you most
Eleven entries is a lot to hold in your head. Most people only need four. These are the rules that decide what you can own, what you can remove, and what a lapsed card costs you.
The eight-SIM cap
One CNIC may carry eight SIMs: five voice and three data, a ceiling the Supreme Court fixed in November 2015. Cross it and networks stop issuing. The SIM limit per CNIC guide shows how to read your count and thin it out.
The 365-day lock
A SIM issued today cannot be disowned or transferred for a full year. PTA’s 24 May 2026 advisory closed a loophole fraud rings used to offload fresh SIMs fast. Our 365-day SIM rule guide explains who it hits and who it spares.
The Rs 200 disowning fee
Removing a SIM you never bought costs Rs 200 or less, and nothing at all when fraud is involved, a cap in place since January 2024. The block and disown guide walks the counter and online routes step by step.
The expired-CNIC queue
SIMs on lapsed CNICs face phased suspension after PTA’s 8 April 2026 advisory, which named about 8.1 million lines. Renew first and your number survives. The expired CNIC SIM guide covers every renewal route.
How to stay current on rule changes
Rules move faster than any single page can. We keep a running changelog so you do not have to refresh eleven news sites. The PTA SIM news log records each new advisory the day it lands, with the source link and a plain note on who it affects. Bookmark it, and treat this timeline as the settled history behind it.
Two habits keep you ahead of trouble. Check your own registry twice a year, because rules only bite when your record and reality drift apart. And when a viral WhatsApp forward claims some dramatic new SIM rule, cross it against our myths fact-check before you act. Most panics turn out to be old news wearing a fresh date.
Roman Urdu mein
Pakistan mein SIM ke qawaneen aik saath nahi aaye; woh 2012 se le kar 2026 tak, adalat aur PTA ke faislon se bante gaye. Ahem baatein yeh hain: aik CNIC par zyada se zyada 8 SIM (5 voice + 3 data), yeh had Supreme Court ne November 2015 mein muqarrar ki. Nayi SIM 365 din tak na disown ho sakti hai na transfer, PTA ki 24 May 2026 advisory ke mutabiq. Kisi anjaan SIM ko disown karna Rs 200 ya us se kam, aur fraud mein bilkul muft. Expire CNIC wali SIMs marhala-war band hoti ja rahi hain, is liye CNIC pehle renew karwayein. Naye qawaneen ke liye humara PTA SIM news log dekhte rahein.
Frequently asked questions
How many SIMs can one CNIC legally hold?
Eight in total: five voice SIMs and three data SIMs. The Supreme Court fixed that ceiling on 5 November 2015 under Chief Justice A.Z. Jamali, raising the earlier five-SIM cap from 2012. Networks refuse to issue once you reach it, so read your count on 668 before buying another line.
What exactly is the 365-day SIM rule?
A SIM issued now cannot be disowned or transferred to another person for one full year. PTA published the advisory on 24 May 2026, backed by gazette notification L-7646 of 11 May. Geo Fact Check rated it true on 4 June 2026. It targets fraud rings that flipped freshly bought SIMs within days.
Do these rules apply to SIMs I already own, or only new ones?
Both, depending on the rule. The eight-SIM cap counts every active line on your CNIC, old and new alike. The 365-day lock and the seven-day wait apply only to newly issued SIMs. The expired-CNIC advisory hits any line whose card has lapsed, no matter how long you have held the number.
How much does removing an unknown SIM cost now?
Rs 200 at most, and nothing when you were defrauded. PTA set that cap on 1 January 2024, so no franchise should charge more. List your lines on the cnic.sims.pk portal first, then disown anything you do not recognise. Our block and disown guide covers the app and counter routes.
Is it true shops cannot sell SIMs at night?
Yes. Since 19 May 2026, new SIM sales are barred between midnight and 6 AM across all networks. The pause shuts the overnight hours where a rushed, poorly checked sale is hardest to police. Daytime sales run normally, and the rule touches only fresh connections, not top-ups or SIMs you already hold.
Where can I follow new PTA SIM rules as they land?
Our PTA SIM news log records each advisory the day it appears, with the primary source and a note on who it affects. Treat this timeline as settled history and the news log as the live feed. When a viral forward claims a shocking new rule, check it against our myths fact-check first.
Written and reviewed by Muhammad Hamza, founder and editor of CnicSimInfo. Every dated entry traces to its issuing body: Supreme Court judgments, PTA advisories and gazette notification L-7646, NADRA and NCCIA announcements, and IHC-approved merger filings. The 365-day lock is corroborated by Geo Fact Check, which rated it true on 4 June 2026. Last reviewed: 13 July 2026. See our editorial standards.