PTA proposes KYC checks, 90-day cap on foreign roaming SIMs

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has proposed mandatory identity verification for foreign SIMs and travel eSIMs operating on Pakistani mobile networks, alongside a 90-day threshold for international roaming, in a move aimed at curbing financial fraud, cybercrime and security risks.

Official document’s revealed that the draft International Roaming (Inbound) Regulations, 2026, international roaming connections used for 90 days or more within any 180-day period would be classified as permanent roaming, potentially exposing the connections to suspension or blocking if operators cannot establish their legitimate temporary use.

The proposed regulations seek to bring international roaming services and travel SIM/eSIM aggregators, including platforms offering connectivity to foreign travellers, under the PTA’s regulatory oversight.

According to the official documents, inbound international roaming connections can currently access Pakistani cellular networks without undergoing local Know Your Customer (KYC) verification. The PTA said this regulatory gap had raised concerns over the use of untraceable foreign SIMs and eSIMs for fraudulent activities and the circumvention of domestic identity-verification requirements.

The authority identified spoofed calls, SMS-based phishing, extortion, e-commerce fraud and other criminal activities among the reported risks associated with such connections. It also flagged concerns about social-media accounts allegedly being used for fake news, hate speech and other unlawful activities.

The PTA said the growing use of foreign SIMs as substitutes for locally issued connections, including through machine-to-machine (M2M) and Internet of Things (IoT) devices, could undermine regulatory oversight and cause potential revenue losses to the national exchequer and Pakistani mobile operators.

Under the draft framework, telecom operators would be required to develop and implement a KYC mechanism to capture and verify the identity of inbound roamers. The proposed information requirements include passport or travel-document details, nationality, roaming SIM/eSIM identifiers, home operator details and, where available, arrival date and expected duration of stay.

Verification could be carried out through activation procedures, welcome SMS links, a PTA-approved digital portal or coordination with immigration and border-control authorities. Alternative arrangements would be prescribed where SMS-based verification is technically unfeasible, including for data-only eSIMs.

The draft also proposes compulsory PTA registration for travel SIM/eSIM aggregators operating in Pakistan. Registered entities would have to disclose their underlying network providers and distribution channels, designate a local focal person and share information about SIM/eSIM issuance, activation, KYC particulars and usage with the authority.

Telecom operators would also be required to deploy monitoring systems to identify permanent roaming and suspicious traffic patterns, maintain specified roaming records for at least 12 months and submit periodic reports to the PTA.

Where suspicious or abusive use is detected, operators could seek subscriber information from foreign home operators, with the draft prescribing response periods of 72 hours, or 24 hours in cases involving an imminent security or fraud risk.

The proposed rules also provide for a centralised database of blocked inbound roamers to prevent users whose connections have been suspended from accessing Pakistani networks through another operator. Operators would be required to block or suspend roaming services where illegal or abusive activity is established on the basis of credible information.

The framework further proposes restrictions on M2M/IoT SIMs being used for ordinary consumer voice, SMS and general-purpose data services, while allowing the PTA to authorise genuine industrial and machine-connectivity applications on a case-by-case basis.

The authority said the proposed regulations were intended to strengthen security, improve consumer protection and address permanent roaming while aligning Pakistan’s framework with international telecommunications standards and regulatory practices.