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PTA Considers Cutting Voice SIM Limit to Three Per CNICPakistan
The PTA is reviewing a proposal to cut the voice SIM limit from five to three per CNIC and raise the data SIM allowance, but no final decision has been made and operators will be consulted first.
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Islamabad — The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is considering reducing the number of voice SIMs a person can register on one identity card from five to three, while increasing the number of data SIMs allowed per card, according to media reports quoting PTA officials.
Under the current rules, one Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC) can be used to register up to eight SIMs — five voice SIMs and three data SIMs — under a court decision. The proposed change would cut the voice SIM allowance by two, while raising the ceiling for data-only connections.
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PTA officials said the proposed changes aim to prevent the misuse of mobile connections in cybercrime and to improve cybersecurity, as Pakistan prepares for the rollout of 5G services. The regulator is also looking at raising the number of data SIMs a person may hold, in view of the expected growth in 5G use and in Internet of Things (IoT) devices, which rely on mobile data connections.
Officials said most mobile users normally use two to three voice SIMs, so reducing the voice limit from five to three would not create major problems for ordinary consumers. The bulk of the change, they said, would affect people holding SIMs beyond their everyday needs.
The authority has taken an in-principle decision to review the policy, but no final decision has been made. Mobile phone operators will be consulted before any change is introduced, officials said.
The reports were carried on 14 November 2026 by 24NewsHD, TechJuice and IT Insider, all quoting PTA officials. The regulator has not yet announced a date for the consultation or for any final decision on the matter.
SIM registration limits have long been part of Pakistan’s efforts to keep mobile connections linked to verified identities, a system the authorities say helps trace numbers used in fraud, harassment and other offences. Any change to the limits would apply nationwide and would affect how many connections a single CNIC holder can keep active at one time.
For now, the existing limits remain in force. Users holding five voice SIMs on one CNIC will not be affected unless and until the PTA formally approves the change after consulting the operators.
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