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.
PTA SIM verification is the biometric check every SIM in Pakistan goes through before it is issued. At an operator franchise or retailer, your fingerprints are matched against your NADRA record using your original CNIC, and the SIM is registered to you only if they match. The same check is needed for SIM replacement, ownership transfer and changing network (MNP).
Last checked: October 2026
This page explains how biometric SIM verification works, what to bring, which services need it, why SIMs are being re-verified and blocked in 2026, and how to confirm your registration afterwards. For the checks you can run yourself, see our SIM owner details hub.
How biometric SIM verification works
Pakistan uses a Biometric Verification System for SIM sales. In simple terms:
- You go to an operator franchise, customer service centre or authorised retailer.
- You hand over your original, valid CNIC.
- You place your finger on a fingerprint scanner.
- Your fingerprint is checked against NADRA’s records for that CNIC.
- If it matches, the SIM is issued and registered to your CNIC. If it does not match, the SIM is not issued.
Because the fingerprint must match the CNIC holder, the person whose name a SIM is in had to be present when it was issued or transferred. That is why PTA holds the registered owner responsible for the SIM.
What you need
- Your original CNIC, valid and not expired. A photocopy or phone photo is not accepted for biometric verification.
- Your fingerprints. You must be there in person. Nobody can verify on your behalf.
- Room under the SIM limit if you are getting a new SIM (see below).
If anyone offers to issue or transfer a SIM without your fingerprints, or asks you to give fingerprints “for a survey” or a prize, refuse. Your fingerprints can be used to register a SIM in your name.
Services that need biometric verification
| Service | Whose fingerprints | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| New SIM | The person the SIM will be registered to | Must be under the 5 voice / 3 data limit |
| SIM replacement (lost, damaged, or SIM size change) | The registered owner | Keeps the same number |
| Ownership transfer | Both current owner and new owner, generally together at the franchise | Number stays the same, owner changes |
| Mobile Number Portability (changing network) | The registered owner | Number stays the same, network changes |
| Removing (disowning) a SIM from your CNIC | The CNIC holder | Visit the operator’s franchise or customer service centre with original CNIC |
For ownership transfers and the heir route for a deceased relative’s SIM, see SIM ownership and transfer. For removing SIMs you do not use, see how to deactivate an extra SIM.
The SIM limit checked at verification
Each CNIC can have at most 5 voice SIMs and 3 data-only SIMs, 8 in total, across all networks. The Supreme Court of Pakistan set a five-SIM limit in 2012 and the 5 voice plus 3 data rule in November 2015. PTA restated the limit in a December 2025 warning. If your CNIC is already at the limit, you will need to remove a SIM before a new one can be issued. Details are in our guide to the PTA SIM limit per CNIC.
Re-verification and blocking in 2026
Verification is not only a one-time step. PTA and the operators keep checking registrations against NADRA records, and SIMs whose registration no longer holds up are blocked. PTA figures reported in August 2026 for January to July 2026:
- 1.838 million SIMs blocked in total
- 903,230 SIMs registered to deceased persons’ CNICs disconnected
- 244,357 SIMs on cancelled or expired CNICs blocked
- 691,102 illegal SIMs blocked, alongside joint PTA and NCCIA raids
What this means for you:
- Expired CNIC: renew it with NADRA before your SIMs are affected. If a SIM is already blocked, contact your operator after renewal.
- SIM in a deceased relative’s name: an heir should transfer it to their own CNIC, with biometric verification.
- SIM in someone else’s name: PTA’s December 2025 warning says every SIM must be registered to its actual user. Transfer it to yourself.
Overseas Pakistanis and foreigners
Overseas Pakistanis with a NICOP have a 13-digit identity number like a CNIC. SIM registration still needs in-person biometric verification at a franchise, so it is done during a visit to Pakistan. Exact requirements can vary, so confirm with the operator before you go. From abroad, you can check the SIM count on your NICOP free at cnic.sims.pk.
Foreign nationals register SIMs using their passport-style identity document rather than a CNIC. The rules and documents for foreigners are set by the operators and PTA, so ask the operator’s customer service centre. The cnic.sims.pk portal has a Foreign ID option to check SIMs registered on such an ID.
If your fingerprints do not match
Sometimes the scanner fails to match, for example with worn fingerprints or a CNIC problem. Ask the franchise staff to try again and to explain the reason. If the issue is with your CNIC or NADRA record, such as an expired card, contact NADRA to fix it, then return to the franchise. If an operator refuses service without a clear reason, ask for a complaint number. If the complaint is not resolved, you can complain to PTA online (Complaint Management System) or call 0800-55055.
How to confirm your registration afterwards
After getting, replacing or transferring a SIM, run two quick checks:
- 667: send MNP to 667 from the new SIM. The reply should show your name, a partly hidden CNIC and the activation date. A small SMS charge may apply. See our 667 guide.
- 668 or cnic.sims.pk: send your 13-digit CNIC to 668 (about Rs 2 plus tax) for a count by operator, or check the total free on cnic.sims.pk. The count should include the new SIM and nothing you do not recognise.
Full instructions and troubleshooting are on our how to check SIM owner details page.
Frequently asked questions
Can someone get a SIM on my CNIC without my fingerprints?
The system is built to prevent it, but misuse can still happen. Check your count with 668 or cnic.sims.pk. If you find a SIM you did not get, remove it at the operator and contact the NCCIA cyber crime helpline 1799. Unauthorised use of identity information is an offence under PECA 2016 Section 16, punishable by up to 3 years in prison, a fine of up to Rs 5 million, or both.
Can I verify a SIM for my elderly parent?
No. The SIM owner must give their own fingerprints. You can go with them to the franchise to help.
Does this website verify SIMs?
No. This is an independent information site with no access to PTA, NADRA or operator records. Verification only happens at an operator franchise or retailer.
Sources: PTA consumer FAQs on SIM registration and disowning, PTA public notice (December 2025), PTA SIM Information System (cnic.sims.pk), and PTA enforcement figures reported in August 2026. This site is independent and not linked to PTA, NADRA or any operator.