The Count, Decoded
SIM Check CNIC: The Count, the Limit, and Your Next Move
Two official ways answer a SIM check CNIC query. Both take under a minute. SMS your 13-digit CNIC, with no dashes, to 668 for about Rs 2, or open cnic.sims.pk free in any browser. Both are PTA-run, and both read the same registry of NADRA-verified activations. So one source covers both, from a quick count to a full per-network count of the SIMs on your CNIC. The harder part comes after the reply, when you have to judge what a normal count looks like and what to do when yours is not. This page covers both halves. The full method family sits at Check SIM Owner Details Pakistan.
Key takeaways
- The legal ceiling is 8 SIMs per CNIC: 5 voice and 3 data (Supreme Court, 5 November 2015).
- Ported numbers count under their current operator, not their old prefix. The 667 versus 668 breakdown shows how porting shifts the tally.
- A SIM you stopped using still counts until you formally disown it. The keepers-first cleanup shows the safe order.
- Disowning at the operator’s franchise is capped at Rs 200, and waived in fraud cases.
- After a fix, allow 24 to 48 hours for the record to update, then run the count again.
Every figure here is the verified one: the real limit, the real fees, the real escalation path. The internet also circulates fake versions, and plenty of them. Our myths page holds the receipts.
What a CNIC SIM check actually shows
Both official routes return counts, never names. A SIM check on your CNIC tells you how many SIMs each network has registered against your identity, and nothing more.
- SMS route: text your 13-digit CNIC, no dashes, to 668. The reply lists your per-operator SIM counts. Cost: about Rs 2 with tax (PTA’s SIM Information System 668, running since October 2009).
- Portal route: open cnic.sims.pk, free, worldwide, no login; on screen it is titled the PMD SIM Information System. The result is a dated counts table: Network, Voice and Data, Data Only, Total.
- The correction other sites need: the portal shows no SIM numbers, no names and no activation dates. Counts only, re-checked first-hand on 30 August 2026.
- The limit: 8 SIMs per CNIC, split 5 voice plus 3 data (Supreme Court of Pakistan, 5 November 2015).
- Privacy: no lawful tool shows a stranger’s details; unauthorised lookups are an offence under PECA 2016 Section 16, punishable by up to 3 years, Rs 5,000,000, or both.
The 60-second version
- Get your count: CNIC to 668 (about Rs 2) or cnic.sims.pk free.
- Compare against the cap: 8 total = 5 voice + 3 data.
- Match every entry to a SIM you actually use.
- Disown strangers at that operator’s franchise (up to Rs 200, waived in fraud).
On this page
The 2 official SIM check CNIC routes
Two official channels handle a SIM check CNIC request, and PTA runs both. The first is an SMS: send your 13-digit CNIC, no dashes, to 668, and a per-network count comes back in about 30 seconds for roughly Rs 2. The second is cnic.sims.pk, PTA’s free web portal, which returns the same counts as a dated per-network table in any browser. Both read the same NADRA-verified registry, and both answer only for your own CNIC.
668 — the SMS route
Text your 13-digit CNIC to 668, with no dashes. The reply lands in about 30 seconds, and it lists your SIM count for each network. The message costs about Rs 2 with tax, and it works from any Pakistani SIM, internet or not. Format rules and the full fix list sit in the 668 guide.
cnic.sims.pk — the free portal
Same registry, read in a browser, free, from anywhere on earth. It accepts NICOP and POC documents, and its result is a dated counts table only: Network, Voice and Data, Data Only, Total. It shows no names, no phone numbers and no activation dates, re-checked first-hand on 30 August 2026. Sites claiming the portal shows activation dates are wrong; for a specific SIM’s activation date, ask that operator’s helpline or franchise. Walkthrough and the fake-domain warning: the portal guide.
ID card number check for SIMs — the same lookup
Your CNIC is your 13-digit national ID card number, so an ID card number check for SIMs is this exact lookup under another name. Send the digits, without dashes, to 668, or type them into cnic.sims.pk. It needs no app, no agent and no fee beyond the SMS. Plenty of sites call the same thing an ID card SIM check. The name changes; the two official routes do not.
Which SIM number on my CNIC belongs to which network?
PTA’s free portal, cnic.sims.pk, shows which network each SIM on your CNIC belongs to. It shows the tally as a dated counts table, with Voice and Data, Data Only, and Total per operator, so you can match each network’s count to the phones you actually carry. It does not list individual SIM numbers or activation dates. A 668 reply returns the same counts by SMS. To read the number inside a handset, dial the find-my-number code for that network.
Those two are the entire SIM check CNIC menu. Everything else supports them: 667, 76367, the BVS codes, the franchise counter and the helplines. Want the record sitting behind that number? Our guide to checking your CNIC details explains what NADRA shows and what stays private. The complete dozen sits compared on the methods hub. Anything sold as a third route is not one. That includes paid lookups and every so-called live SIM tracker, a racket we document on the pak sim data page.
How to check SIMs on CNIC, start to finish
Text your 13-digit CNIC, without dashes, to 668 and read the count in the reply, or open PTA’s free portal cnic.sims.pk and enter the same digits. Note the total, compare it with the 8-SIM cap, and match every entry to a SIM you actually use. Anything you cannot match, disown at that operator’s franchise; the fee is capped at Rs 200.
Can I check how many SIMs are on someone else’s CNIC?
No. Both PTA channels answer only for your own CNIC, and neither returns a name or an address for anybody. Running a stranger’s identity through them without consent is an offence under PECA 2016 Section 16, which carries up to 3 years in prison, a fine of up to Rs 5 million, or both. Our legality page sets out that section in plain words.
The limit: 8 SIMs, and how it’s counted
The cap is 8 SIMs per CNIC: 5 voice plus 3 data. The Supreme Court set it on 5 November 2015, and it still stands as the ceiling every count reports against. It applies across all networks combined, not per operator, so 3 Jazz plus 3 Zong plus 2 Telenor means you are full. Foreigners on a passport get 2. Corporate SIMs run on a company’s NTN, so they sit outside the personal cap. A minor’s SIM lives on a parent’s CNIC, and it eats into that parent’s 8 until the child turns 18.
Enforcement happens at activation. The registry checks your count before a new SIM goes live, which is why a 9th simply should not activate. That registry stood at 208,057,255 active SIMs in June 2026, per PTA’s telecom indicators, every one counted against the same cap. Old extras still sitting on your CNIC will not jail you, but each one is your liability while your name is on the record. The “25 SIMs allowed” and “limit cut to 6” stories are fabrications, and the verdicts are here.
How many SIMs are allowed on one CNIC?
Eight, and no operator should be able to issue a ninth. The split is fixed at 5 voice plus 3 data, counted across every network together, and the Supreme Court set it on 5 November 2015. Company SIMs issued on an NTN sit outside your personal eight, while a child’s SIM sits inside a parent’s until the child turns 18.
Your count, decoded — the decision table
Run your SIM check CNIC first, then find your row below. Use the 668 count, or the portal’s dated counts table — both return the same per-network tally.
| Your result | What it means | Your move |
|---|---|---|
| The count matches what you use | Your record is clean | Screenshot it with the date, then repeat next month. |
| One SIM more than you remember | A forgotten purchase, or a real problem | The portal cannot show activation dates, so ask that operator’s helpline when it was activated. An old date means it is probably forgotten. A fresh date means you act today, as the next section explains. |
| A SIM you never bought | Possible identity misuse | Screenshot it, disown it at the franchise, then report it to NCCIA on 1799 the same day. |
| A SIM you use is missing | Likely unverified, or held on another CNIC | Run your operator’s BVS status code. The franchise fixes it with a fingerprint. |
| The total is over 8 | Legacy extras beyond the cap | Disown the unused ones, and keep the record at what you actually carry. |
Print it, save it, whatever works for you. Five rows cover almost every reply the registry can send.
When the SIM number check on your CNIC looks wrong
The fix runs through the franchise of the operator that issued the SIM, in person. Carry your original CNIC, say “SIM Disowning” at the counter, and give the fingerprint. Leave with the written reference number, because that slip is your proof. The fee tops out at Rs 200, and it is waived where fraud is involved. Records usually update within 24 to 48 hours, so re-run your check on day two.
Two timing rules sit on top of that. PTA’s advisory of 24 May 2026 locks a newly activated SIM for 365 days from its activation date. Inside that year you cannot disown or transfer it voluntarily, as the 365-day rule sets out. Fraud cases bypass the lock through the complaint route, which is exactly why reporting matters. And when it is fraud, a SIM you never bought on your fingerprints, file the same day. Call NCCIA on 1799 or use complaint.nccia.gov.pk, and attach your dated screenshots. Your protections, section by section: the PECA 2016 guide.
The monthly CNIC SIM check habit
Check SIMs on CNIC once a month, screenshot the result, and file it in one album. Add an extra run after any rule change lands in the changelog. Add another after any data-leak headline, and before you link a number to a new bank account. The pattern matters more than the tool: use 668 on busy days, and the portal when you want dates. Stuck on a question mid-check? PTA’s WhatsApp Digital Assistant on 0315-0055055, live since 26 February 2026, and the 0800-55055 helpline are the official desks to ask.
The SIM check CNIC habit costs about a minute, and at most Rs 2. What it buys, when something goes wrong, is a dated evidence trail that no franchise or investigator can argue with. Cheap insurance.
Frequently asked questions
How many SIMs are allowed on one CNIC?
Eight SIMs per CNIC: 5 voice and 3 data. The Supreme Court set that cap on 5 November 2015, and it counts across every network combined. Foreigners on a passport get 2. Corporate SIMs run on a company’s NTN, outside the personal cap. A minor’s SIM counts against the parent’s CNIC until age 18.
Can I check SIMs on CNIC for free?
Yes. cnic.sims.pk is free and works worldwide, including with NICOP and POC documents. The 668 SMS route costs about Rs 2 with tax. It runs from any Pakistani SIM, and it needs no internet. Both channels read the same official registry, so the counts they return should match.
Can I check how many SIMs are on someone else’s CNIC?
No. Both official channels answer only for the CNIC’s own holder. Running someone else’s identity through them without permission is an offence under PECA Section 16. The penalty runs up to 3 years in prison, a fine of up to Rs 5,000,000, or both. The law, in plain words: our legality page.
An extra SIM showed up. Is my CNIC “hacked”?
Usually it is a forgotten purchase or a franchise paperwork leftover, not a hack. The portal shows dated counts only, so ask that operator’s helpline or franchise when the SIM was activated. An old date points to a SIM you bought and forgot. A SIM you never bought is different: disown it and call 1799 the same day.
How fast does the count update after disowning?
Usually within 24 to 48 hours of the franchise visit. Re-run 668 or the portal on day two. Keep the written reference slip until your re-check confirms the change. If the record still has not moved, that slip is what turns a delay into a complaint PTA will act on.
Which of my SIMs count as voice vs data in the 5+3 cap?
Voice SIMs are the ones sold for calling plans. Data SIMs are internet-only lines, such as dongles, MBB devices and tablets. The portal’s voice and data split shows how the registry classes yours. The cap is 5 voice plus 3 data, 8 in total (Supreme Court, 5 Nov 2015).
Can I buy a new SIM on an expired CNIC?
No. PTA’s advisory of 8 April 2026 put SIMs running on expired or unrenewed CNICs in scope for restrictions. Operators also need a valid CNIC before they issue any new connection. Renew the card at NADRA first, then buy. SIMs already on an expired document should be regularised promptly.
How do I check the SIM numbers on my CNIC?
No official channel lists the SIM numbers themselves. cnic.sims.pk shows a dated counts table for your CNIC, meaning how many SIMs sit on each network, and a 668 SMS returns the same counts. To read the number inside a handset you already hold, dial that network’s find-my-number code. Both read the same PTA registry, and both answer for your own CNIC, never a stranger’s.
Can I run a SIM check with just my ID card number?
Yes. Your 13-digit CNIC number is your national ID card number, so they are the same input. Type it without dashes into an SMS to 668, or into cnic.sims.pk. Overseas Pakistanis can use a NICOP or POC number on the portal the same way. No other number works.
Can I see every SIM number on my CNIC online without sending an SMS?
You can see the count online, not the numbers. cnic.sims.pk, free in any browser with no SMS, shows a dated per-network counts table for your CNIC: Voice and Data, Data Only, Total. It lists no SIM numbers, no names and no activation dates (re-checked 30 August 2026). It also works from overseas with NICOP and POC documents. Keep 668 for days when you have signal but no internet.
Roman Urdu mein
CNIC par SIM check karne ke 2 official tareeqay hain. Pehla: 13-hindsa CNIC (bina dash) 668 par SMS karein, kharcha about Rs 2. Doosra: cnic.sims.pk browser mein kholein, bilkul free. CNIC hi aap ka ID card number hai, is liye ID card number se SIM check bhi yehi tareeqa hai. Limit 8 hai: 5 voice + 3 data, sab networks mila kar (Supreme Court, 5 Nov 2015). Koi anjaan SIM nazar aaye to us network ki helpline se activation date poochein — portal sirf counts dikhata hai. Phir franchise par “SIM Disowning” kahein, fee Rs 200 tak hai aur fraud mein maaf. Reference slip zaroor rakhein. Fraud lagta ho to usi din 1799 par NCCIA ko report karein. Mahine mein ek dafa check aur screenshot = pakki hifazat.
Written and reviewed by Muhammad Hamza, founder and editor of CnicSimInfo. The limit, fees and timelines here trace to PTA notices, the Supreme Court’s 2015 order and cnic.sims.pk itself, re-tested quarterly. Last reviewed: 2 September 2026. See our Editorial Standards and all 12 methods.