Check the SIMs on Your Own CNIC or Number
Pick a tab and press the button to see the official PTA check for your own CNIC, or for the SIM in your phone. Nothing you type leaves this page, and this site does not look up other people's numbers.
In Pakistan, one CNIC can have at most 5 voice SIMs and 3 data-only SIMs, 8 in total, across all mobile networks combined. It is not a limit per operator. Once you reach it, a shop cannot issue you another SIM of that type until one is removed from your CNIC.
Last checked: October 2026
The rule at a glance
| SIM type | Maximum per CNIC | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Voice SIMs (calls, SMS and usually data) | 5 | All networks combined |
| Data-only SIMs (for internet devices and dongles) | 3 | All networks combined |
| Total | 8 | Jazz, Zong, Ufone, Telenor, SCOM and Onic together |
So you could have 3 Jazz voice SIMs and 2 Zong voice SIMs, plus 3 data SIMs on any networks. You could not have a sixth voice SIM anywhere.
Where the limit comes from
The limit was set by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, not by an operator’s policy:
- 2012: the Supreme Court set a limit of five SIMs per CNIC.
- November 2015: a further ruling set the current structure of 5 voice SIMs plus 3 data-only SIMs.
- December 2025: PTA restated the limit in a public warning, and added that every SIM must be registered in the name of its actual user. The registered owner is held responsible for calls, messages and data on the SIM, and violations can lead to penalties or disconnection. PTA put the number of SIMs in Pakistan at about 196 million.
The aim is simple: keep every SIM traceable to the person using it, and make it harder for one identity to be used to register SIMs in bulk.
Voice SIMs vs data-only SIMs
A voice SIM is a normal mobile connection you use in a phone for calls and SMS. A data-only SIM is sold for internet devices such as portable Wi-Fi devices and USB dongles, and does not offer normal calling. The two are counted separately: data-only SIMs do not use up your voice slots, and voice SIMs do not use up your data slots.
If you are not sure which category a particular SIM falls under, ask the operator that issued it. Call from that SIM (Jazz 111, Zong 310, Ufone 333, Telenor 345) or ask at a franchise.
What happens when you are at the limit
When you try to buy a new SIM, the retailer verifies your fingerprints against NADRA records. If your CNIC already has the maximum number of SIMs of that type, the new SIM will be refused. The only way forward is to remove an existing SIM from your CNIC first.
People often find out they are at the limit this way, and are surprised because they only use one or two SIMs. The usual reasons are old SIMs that were never removed, SIMs bought for family members, or SIMs registered without their knowledge.
How to check where you stand
- SMS 668: send your 13-digit CNIC, no dashes, to 668. The reply gives the number of active SIMs on your CNIC, broken down by operator. About Rs 2 + tax.
- cnic.sims.pk: enter your CNIC at PTA’s SIM Information System and click Submit for the total. Free.
Neither shows the actual numbers. If the count is higher than you expect, follow our guide to identifying every SIM on your CNIC. For the checks themselves, see CNIC SIM check.
How to free a slot
- Use 668 to find which operator has the SIM you want gone.
- Visit that operator’s franchise or customer service centre with your original CNIC.
- Ask for the SIM to be removed from your CNIC. If it is a SIM you never got or don’t recognise, ask to disown it. PTA says a CNIC holder’s disown request is treated as a request to remove the SIM from that CNIC, and it requires your biometric verification.
- Keep the reference number the operator gives you.
- After some time, send your CNIC to 668 again to confirm the count has dropped. Then you can get the new SIM.
Each operator handles only its own SIMs, so a SIM on Zong has to be removed at Zong. Step-by-step detail is on our deactivate extra SIM page.
Family SIMs and owner liability
A common situation: a father has five SIMs on his CNIC because he bought one for each child years ago. The children are now adults with their own CNICs. Under PTA’s rules, he is still the person held responsible for anything done on those SIMs, and he has no free slots.
The fix is for each adult user to take the SIM into their own name. Ownership transfers need biometric verification, so check with the operator what both people need to bring. This both frees slots and puts responsibility where it belongs. For a SIM used by a child who does not have a CNIC yet, the parent remains the registered owner and should keep an eye on its use.
Being under the limit does not make a SIM safe. A single SIM on your CNIC used by someone else, for fraud or harassment, is still traced to you. Check what is on your CNIC, not just how many.
Foreign nationals
Foreigners in Pakistan register SIMs against their passport-style ID rather than a CNIC. PTA’s cnic.sims.pk has a Foreign ID option to check the number of SIMs registered on such an ID. For the rules that apply to your situation, such as how many SIMs you can hold and for how long, ask the operator before you buy.
What the limit does not mean
- It does not mean every SIM on your CNIC is legitimate. Anything you don’t recognise should be removed.
- It does not let you register SIMs for other adults. Even under the limit, PTA expects each SIM to be in the actual user’s name.
- It does not reset when you switch networks. A SIM ported to another operator with MNP is still on your CNIC.
Frequently asked questions
Is the limit 5 SIMs per network?
No. It is 5 voice SIMs and 3 data-only SIMs in total across all networks combined.
Did the Telenor and Ufone merger change the limit?
No. Telenor Pakistan merged into PTML, which runs Ufone, in July 2026. The per-CNIC limit applies across all networks regardless, and service continuity was promised for both brands’ customers.
I was refused a SIM but 668 shows fewer than 5. Why?
Ask the retailer what reason the system gave. It may relate to the SIM type (voice or data), an expired CNIC, or another issue. If your CNIC has expired, renew it with NADRA. Our CNIC information page explains why that matters in 2026.
For other official checks, including whose name a SIM is registered to and which network a number is on, see our SIM owner details guide.
Sources: PTA public warning on SIM limit and ownership (December 2025), PTA FAQs on disown and removal, PTA SIM Information System (cnic.sims.pk), pta.gov.pk.