Block a SIM You Did Not Get
Step-by-step guide to disowning an unauthorised SIM registered on your CNIC in Pakistan.
How to Block an Unauthorised SIM
- Check your SIM count: Send your CNIC to 668 or check cnic.sims.pk. Compare the count with your own list of SIMs.
- Identify the network: Note which company's count is higher than expected.
- Visit the franchise: Go to that company's franchise or service centre with your original CNIC.
- Disown the SIM: Request disowning of the unauthorised SIM. Your fingerprints will be verified.
- If unresolved: Complain to PTA (0800-55055) or file at complaint.pta.gov.pk. For fraud, contact NCCIA (1799).
Key takeaways:
- An unknown SIM shows up as a too-high count from one company on 668 or cnic.sims.pk; the check never shows who holds it.
- Blocking is a franchise job: your original CNIC and your fingerprints, in person.
- Voluntary disowning costs up to Rs 200. In fraud cases it is free.
- Escalate to PTA (0800-55055, complaint.pta.gov.pk) and report misuse to NCCIA (1799).
- Until the SIM is blocked, its use and misuse sit on your CNIC, and on you.
Why Every SIM on Your CNIC Is Your Responsibility
PTA's notice of 31 December 2025 states: "All mobile SIMs must be registered strictly against user's own name", and the registered user "shall remain solely responsible for any use or misuse of SIM".
If a SIM was issued without your knowledge or consent, the mobile company "may be approached immediately" for blocking.
Disowning Charges
Disowning a SIM voluntarily costs up to Rs 200. In fraud cases, it is free. A newly purchased SIM cannot be disowned or transferred within 365 days of activation.
Confirm the Extra SIM Before You Act
A wrong accusation wastes your day, so confirm the count first. The official check answers "how many", never "who".
- Send your 13-digit CNIC, without dashes, to 668 and keep the reply.
- Run the same CNIC on cnic.sims.pk if the SMS result looks odd; if the two disagree, keep both dated results and follow up.
- List every SIM that genuinely is yours: phones, second slots, routers, MiFis, tablets, trackers, old SIMs in a drawer and family lines on your CNIC. Our guide to checking how many SIMs are on your CNIC walks through this comparison.
- Only then treat a company's excess count as an unauthorised SIM. Note the company name; you cannot see the number itself, and you do not need it to disown.
The Two Routes: Your Operator, Then PTA
| Route | What you do | What it fixes |
|---|---|---|
| Operator franchise | Go in person with your original CNIC; fingerprints are verified against NADRA records | Disowns and blocks the SIM on that company's side |
| PTA complaint | Call 0800-55055 or file at complaint.pta.gov.pk, on pta.gov.pk, with your dated evidence | Escalates when the company leaves the count unchanged |
| NCCIA report | Call 1799 if your CNIC was used in fraud | Opens the criminal side: who abused your identity |
Only the operator can block the SIM; only NCCIA can pursue the person behind it. Filing one does not replace the other when both apply.
What to Bring and What to Keep
- Your original CNIC. A photocopy or a photo on a phone is not the franchise document.
- Your own dated list of SIMs and the 668 reply or cnic.sims.pk result.
- The complaint number from the franchise, and the date you were told the SIM would be blocked.
- Any call or message that hints how your CNIC leaked, for the NCCIA report.
There is no published waiting period for disowning: the verification is biometric at the counter, and PTA's notice says a wrongly issued SIM "may be approached immediately" for blocking. If the next count check still shows the extra SIM, escalate the same week rather than waiting it out.
Claims vs What Actually Happens
| Claim | Reality |
|---|---|
| "The check will show me who took a SIM on my CNIC" | 668 and cnic.sims.pk show a count per company only. Finding the person is NCCIA's job, not a website's. |
| "I can block it online or by app" | Disowning happens at the franchise with fingerprints. You must go yourself; nobody can make the visit for you. |
| "An extra SIM will expire on its own" | PTA places responsibility for any use or misuse on the registered name, which is you, until you block it. |
| "Disowning always costs money" | Up to Rs 200 if voluntary; free in fraud cases. |
FAQ
How do I block a SIM registered on my CNIC that I never received?
Identify which company's count is too high on 668 or cnic.sims.pk, then visit that company's franchise with your original CNIC and request disowning. Your fingerprints are verified on the spot. If the company does not resolve it, complain to PTA on 0800-55055.
How long does disowning an unauthorised SIM take?
The site documents no fixed processing time, so treat dates as evidence, not promises. Get a complaint number at the franchise, re-run your count check afterwards, and escalate to PTA promptly if the excess count remains. Full routes are in our FAQ.
Is disowning a fraudulent SIM free?
Yes. Voluntary disowning costs up to Rs 200, but fraud cases are free. Note that a newly purchased SIM cannot be disowned or transferred within 365 days of activation, so buy only from authorised franchises in person.
The count is high, but the SIM might be an old router line. What now?
Before accusing anyone, match the count against your own list: routers, MiFis, tablets, trackers, drawer SIMs and family lines registered on your CNIC. Data SIMs count exactly like phone SIMs. Only start disowning once a company's number still does not reconcile.
What if the same CNIC abuse is repeated?
Report the pattern to NCCIA at 1799 with your dated records. Identity misuse is a PECA 2016 matter, explained on our PECA law page, and repeat cases are exactly what NCCIA investigates.
Conclusion: Block It, Then Prove You Did
Blocking an unauthorised SIM on your CNIC is a three-part job: confirm the excess count on 668 or cnic.sims.pk, disown the SIM at the operator's franchise with your own fingerprints, and escalate to PTA and NCCIA if the record does not change. Every step uses only your own records, which is what keeps the whole process inside the law.
Do the first step now: send your 13-digit CNIC without dashes to 668, or open cnic.sims.pk, and compare the counts against your own SIM list. If one company is over, book the franchise visit the same day.