If a family member has died and their mobile number is still running, or if your own CNIC has been cancelled, confiscated or impounded, there is a clock now running on your SIM that you may not know about. In October 2026, PTA tightened Pakistan’s SIM verification rules, and the new deadlines are short: 60 days to transfer a deceased person’s SIM into another name, and just 5 days before a SIM linked to a cancelled CNIC is blocked.
This is not a new package, a new offer or a change made by your mobile company on its own. These are PTA and NADRA rules, reported in October 2026, that operators are required to follow. That distinction matters, because it means you cannot ask your operator to make an exception to the deadline itself. What you can do is act inside the window, transfer the SIM in time, and know the restoration route if a SIM has already been blocked. This guide explains each deadline in plain language, gives you the exact steps for each situation, and tells you what not to do.
One honest note about timing first. The rule change was reported on 13 October 2026, so this is the October rule change, not something announced this week. It is being covered here because it was never published on this site before, and because the deadlines affect any family dealing with a death or a CNIC problem right now. If you are reading this weeks after the announcement, the rules still matter: the 60-day and 5-day clocks start from the NADRA notice and the operator’s SMS alert in each individual case, not from the announcement date itself.
What Changed in October 2026
PTA has tightened the Subscriber Antecedents Verification rules, which are the rules that decide how a SIM is issued, verified and kept active against a person’s identity record. The latest amendments were notified through SRO 1519(I)/2026 in the Gazette of Pakistan, under the Subscriber Antecedents Verification (Third Amendment) Regulations, 2026. In simple terms, the government has connected NADRA’s identity records more tightly to the mobile networks, so that when a person’s identity status changes, the SIMs in their name change status too, and quickly.
The core idea behind the change is straightforward. A SIM registered in the name of a person who has died should not keep running indefinitely in that person’s name. A SIM linked to a CNIC that no longer exists as a valid document should not stay active either. And a SIM that was issued fraudulently should be shut down at once, along with the device used to issue it. Each of these situations now has its own deadline, and each deadline works differently, which is why they are easy to confuse. The sections below separate them clearly.
It is also worth understanding what this rule change is not. It is not about SIM-swap fraud by criminals, where someone tricks an operator into issuing a duplicate of your SIM. That is a different problem, covered separately on this site, and it works through criminal deception rather than through identity records. It is also not about fingerprint mismatch at a shop, where a sale stops because your fingerprint does not match. Those are separate issues with their own fixes. This article is about the regulatory deadlines: what happens to SIMs when NADRA records a death, a cancellation, a confiscation or an impounding, and what happens to fraudulently issued SIMs.
The Three Deadlines at a Glance
The table below brings the three deadlines together so you can see them side by side. Keep it in mind as you read the detailed sections, because each deadline has a different trigger, a different window and a different way back.
| Situation | Trigger | Deadline | What happens after the deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Death of the CNIC/NICOP holder | NADRA informs the operator of the death | 60 days from the operator’s SMS alert to transfer ownership | SIMs in the deceased person’s name are blocked |
| CNIC cancelled, confiscated or impounded | NADRA updates the document status | 5 days for the status to be updated, otherwise block | SIMs linked to that CNIC are blocked |
| Fraudulently issued SIM | Operator or PTA identifies a fraudulent issuance | Immediate | SIM blocked at once; IMEI of the device used to issue it also blocked |
Read the table carefully, because the most common misunderstanding is to mix up the 60-day and 5-day figures. The 60 days apply only to the death case, where the family is given time to transfer the number. The 5 days apply only to the cancelled, confiscated or impounded CNIC case, where the window is for NADRA to update the status. And the fraudulent-issuance case has no window at all: the block is immediate.
If a Family Member Has Died: The 60-Day Transfer
This is the situation most readers will face, and it is the one with the most time to act, but 60 days still pass faster than most grieving families expect. Here is how the process works under the new rules.
When a CNIC or NICOP holder dies, NADRA informs the mobile operators. The operators must then send SMS alerts to all SIMs registered in that person’s name. Those messages ask the recipients to transfer ownership of the SIMs within 60 days. If the transfer is not completed inside that window, the SIMs will be blocked.
The practical meaning of this is simple: a deceased person’s number does not automatically pass to a family member, and it does not stay alive forever just because the bill is being paid or the balance is topped up. Somebody in the family must actively go through the ownership transfer, and the clock for that transfer starts when the SMS alert arrives.
If you receive such an SMS, do not ignore it and do not assume it is a scam message without checking. The first step is to confirm which number the message refers to and which operator sent it. Then visit the operator’s customer service centre or franchise with the documents they ask for. In practice, families should carry the deceased person’s death certificate, the applicant’s own valid CNIC, and proof of the family relationship, and they should be prepared for biometric verification. Operators may ask for slightly different documents, so it is worth calling the operator’s helpline first and confirming the exact list before travelling, especially if the service centre is far from your home.
There is one more thing families often miss: the SMS alerts go to all SIMs in the deceased person’s name. If the deceased person had more than one SIM, perhaps one for personal use and one for business, each one needs its own transfer. Transferring one number does not protect the others. Check how many SIMs are registered in the deceased person’s name, and make sure every one of them is either transferred or deliberately given up.
If the 60 days pass without a transfer, the SIM is blocked. That can mean losing the number itself, and with it, access to bank accounts, WhatsApp, email recovery and other services tied to that number. That is the real cost of missing the deadline, and it is far larger than the inconvenience of a visit to a service centre. If the number matters to the family, treat the SMS alert as urgent from the day it arrives, not from the day the SIM stops working.
If Your CNIC Is Cancelled, Confiscated or Impounded: The 5-Day Block
The second deadline is much shorter and works differently. If your CNIC is cancelled, confiscated or impounded, the SIMs linked to that CNIC must be blocked within 5 days, unless NADRA updates the document status inside that window.
The key point here is that the 5 days are not a grace period for you to visit a shop and sort things out. They are a window for the status itself to be corrected in NADRA’s record. If the cancellation, confiscation or impounding stands, the block follows. If the document is reinstated, the blocked SIMs can be restored once the document is reinstated.
So what should you do if this happens to you? First, deal with the document itself, not just the SIM. Visit NADRA and find out the exact status of your CNIC and what is needed to have it reinstated. Keep every receipt, reference number and written record NADRA gives you. Second, contact your operator and tell them the situation, so that your case is on record and you can ask about the restoration route for once the document is reinstated. Third, do not buy a new SIM in someone else’s name as a workaround while your own document is unresolved. That creates a second problem, because the new SIM would be registered against another person’s identity, and it can be blocked too if that person’s record changes.
This rule is also a warning for anyone who keeps a SIM running on a CNIC that is no longer valid. In the past, such a SIM might have kept working for a long time without anyone noticing. Under the new automated sharing between NADRA and the operators, which is described below, that quiet period is over. The status change in one system now reaches the other system, and the block follows within days.
Fraudulent SIMs and Blocked IMEIs: Immediate Action
The third part of the rule change has no deadline at all, because it is meant to be instant. Operators have been ordered to block fraudulently issued SIMs immediately. On top of that, they must immediately block the IMEI numbers of the devices used to issue or activate those fraudulent SIMs.
An IMEI is the unique number that identifies a mobile device, like a chassis number identifies a car. Blocking the IMEI means the device itself is barred from the network, not just the SIM inside it. That is a strong step, and it is aimed at the shops and devices used to push out fraudulent SIMs, rather than at ordinary customers.
There is, however, a way back for genuine cases. Blocked SIMs and blocked BVS devices may be restored after verification, with the reason recorded. In plain language: if your SIM or device was blocked in error, or if the issue behind the block has been resolved, you can apply for restoration, the operator will verify your case, and the justification for restoring it will be written down. That record matters, because it is what separates a proper restoration from a quiet favour at a shop counter.
If you believe your SIM or device was blocked wrongly, go to the operator’s customer service centre with your original CNIC and the device itself, explain the situation clearly, and ask for the restoration process in writing, including any reference number for your case. Do not pay anyone who promises to unblock a SIM or IMEI for cash outside the official process. That is exactly the kind of side dealing the new rules are designed to stop, and it can leave you with a device that is blocked again later and no record of why.
The Automated System Behind the Rules
None of these deadlines would work if NADRA and the operators were still passing information by hand. That is why the new rules also require operators and NADRA to set up an automated system for sharing identity status. The system covers CNIC and NICOP expiry, renewal, death, cancellation, confiscation and impounding.
The practical effect is that a change in your NADRA record no longer sits in one office while your SIM keeps running untouched. Expiry, renewal, death, cancellation, confiscation and impounding are all status changes that the system is meant to pass to the operators automatically. That is why the 5-day window for cancelled CNICs is so short: the system is designed to move fast, and the block is meant to follow the record, not wait for a human to notice.
For ordinary users, this has a simple lesson. Keep your NADRA record clean and current. Renew your CNIC before it expires. Make sure the mobile number linked to your NADRA record is one you actually control. And if any status change happens to your document, assume your SIMs will be affected within days, not months, and act accordingly.
How to Check the SIMs on Your CNIC Today
The single most useful habit under the new rules is also the simplest: check how many SIMs are registered against your CNIC, and make sure every one of them is yours and is still needed. PTA provides a check for this: you can visit the official SIM information portal, or send your CNIC number without dashes by SMS to 668, and you will receive the count of SIMs registered in your name.
Do this check for yourself, and do it for any elderly family member whose SIMs you help manage. If the count shows a SIM you do not recognise, or a SIM you thought was closed long ago, visit your operator’s service centre and have it closed properly. An unknown SIM in your name is a risk under any rules, but under the new automated sharing it is a risk that can turn into a block, a fraud case or a lost number faster than before.
It is also worth doing this check after any family death, so that the family knows exactly how many SIMs need transferring inside the 60-day window. Guessing the number is how SIMs get missed. A one-minute check gives you the full list to work from.
What to Do If Your SIM Is Already Blocked
If you are reading this after a block has already happened, do not panic, but do not waste time either. The steps depend on which deadline caught you.
If the block followed a death in the family and the 60 days have passed, visit the operator’s service centre with the death certificate, your own CNIC and proof of relationship, and ask whether the number can still be transferred or reissued. The rules describe the block as the consequence of missing the window, so restoration is not guaranteed, but asking promptly, with complete documents, is the only route available, and the sooner you ask, the better your chances.
If the block followed a cancelled, confiscated or impounded CNIC, the first job is the document. Get the CNIC reinstated through NADRA first, then return to the operator with the reinstated document and ask for the SIM to be restored, since the rules allow restoration once the document is reinstated. Keep NADRA’s paperwork with you for that visit.
If the block followed a fraud finding, or if you believe it was an error, go to the customer service centre with your original CNIC and the device, ask for the verification and restoration process, and insist on a written reference for your case. If the operator cannot resolve it, escalate through PTA’s complaint channels, including the PTA helpline 0800-55055, and keep your complaint number safe. A complaint without a number is hard to follow up; a complaint with a number can be tracked.
In every case, the same warning applies: do not buy your way out through an agent or a shop that promises an unofficial unblock. The restoration routes in the rules all run through verification and a recorded justification. Anything outside that process is a risk, not a shortcut.
Mistakes to Avoid
Most of the harm from these rules will come not from the rules themselves but from a handful of avoidable mistakes. The first is ignoring the SMS alert after a death in the family. The message is the start of the 60-day clock, and every day spent assuming someone else will handle it is a day lost.
The second is assuming a SIM stays safe because it is topped up and working. Under the new system, a working SIM linked to a dead person’s record or a cancelled CNIC is a SIM with a countdown on it, not a SIM that has been overlooked.
The third is buying or using a SIM registered in someone else’s name. If that person’s record changes, through death, cancellation or any other status change, your SIM is caught by the same deadlines, and you have no standing to transfer or restore it because it was never yours on paper.
The fourth is paying an agent to fix a block quietly. The official routes are free to ask about, they produce a record, and they are the only routes the rules recognise. A paid shortcut can leave you blocked again, out of pocket, and with no complaint trail.
The fifth is confusing these regulatory deadlines with criminal SIM-swap fraud. If your signal suddenly dies and your SIM stops working without any NADRA status change, that may be a fraud case, not a regulatory block, and it needs a different response: contact your operator and your bank immediately. Knowing which problem you have is the first step to fixing it, and this article’s deadlines apply to the regulatory cases, not to criminal swaps.
The Bottom Line
PTA’s October 2026 SIM rules are, at heart, a simple message: a SIM belongs to a living person with a valid identity document, and when that identity status changes, the SIM must change with it. Sixty days to transfer a deceased person’s number. Five days before a cancelled CNIC’s SIMs are blocked. Immediate blocking for fraudulently issued SIMs and the devices used to issue them. Behind all three deadlines sits an automated NADRA-operator system that shares expiry, renewal, death, cancellation, confiscation and impounding status, so these changes now move fast.
For families, the action is clear. Watch for the SMS alert after a death, transfer every SIM inside 60 days, and keep a check on how many SIMs sit on each CNIC. For anyone whose CNIC is cancelled, confiscated or impounded, fix the document first and then seek restoration. And for everyone, the cheapest protection is a one-minute SIM count check today, before any deadline starts running.
The October 2026 rule change, including the SRO number, the 60-day transfer window, the 5-day cancelled-CNIC block and the immediate fraudulent-issuance block, was reported by TechJuice on 13 October 2026, based on its report of the PTA notification; this article follows that report’s account of the rules and does not add a Gazette date or any detail beyond what that report evidenced.
Also read: SIM Swap Fraud in Pakistan: Your Phone Signal Dies, Then Your Bank Account Drains — How to Protect Yourself and Fingerprint Not Matching at the SIM Shop? PTA’s Alternate Process — What to Do Instead of Arguing With the Retailer
FAQs
What happens to a dead person’s SIM under PTA’s new rules?
When NADRA informs the operator of a CNIC or NICOP holder’s death, the operator must send SMS alerts to all SIMs in that person’s name, asking the recipients to transfer ownership within 60 days. If the transfer is not completed inside that window, the SIMs will be blocked. The family should act on the SMS alert immediately, check how many SIMs are in the deceased person’s name, and transfer each one at the operator’s customer service centre with the death certificate, the applicant’s own CNIC and proof of relationship.
How quickly is a SIM blocked if my CNIC is cancelled?
SIMs linked to a cancelled, confiscated or impounded CNIC must be blocked within 5 days, unless NADRA updates the document status inside that window. The 5 days are for the status to be corrected, not a grace period for the user to visit a shop. If the document is reinstated, the blocked SIMs can be restored once the document is reinstated, so the first step is always to resolve the CNIC itself through NADRA and then approach the operator with the reinstated document.
Can a blocked SIM or device ever be restored?
Yes, in the cases the rules allow. Blocked SIMs linked to a reinstated CNIC can be restored once the document is reinstated. Blocked SIMs and BVS devices in fraud-related cases may be restored after verification, with the reason recorded. In both routes you must go through the operator’s official process with your original documents, and you should get a written reference for your case. If the operator cannot resolve it, escalate through PTA’s complaint channels, including the helpline 0800-55055, and keep your complaint number.
Is the 60-day or 5-day deadline set by my mobile operator?
No. The 60-day deceased-transfer window, the 5-day cancelled-CNIC block and the immediate fraudulent-issuance block are PTA and NADRA rules as reported in October 2026, notified through SRO 1519(I)/2026 under the Subscriber Antecedents Verification (Third Amendment) Regulations, 2026. They are not operator policies, which means an operator cannot simply waive the deadline itself. What the operator can do is carry out the transfer or restoration process inside the rules, which is why acting within the window matters so much.