ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has slapped hefty fines on mobile phone companies due to violations in connection with the issuance of SIM cards without users’ approval.
According to PTA, the regulatory authority has imposed penalties on the four largest mobile telephone companies in the country following complaints and investigation regarding the issuance of SIM cards against the identity cards of citizens without any authorization.
PTA has fined the companies Rs740 million in total for committing serious violations in the process of issuing SIM cards.
In its orders, PTA directed mobile telephone companies to deposit the imposed fines within the given period, failing which legal proceedings might be initiated against them.
It may be mentioned here that the mobile telephone companies will also be held liable for violations carried out by the franchises, as the operator is duty-bound to ensure effective monitoring and a biometric verification process at the franchised outlets.
Unauthorized SIM issuance, according to PTA, poses a serious threat to identity theft and cyber fraud.
PTA reveals which mobile network performs best across Pakistan
Meanwhile, Jazz has emerged as the top-performing mobile network in Pakistan in the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) latest Quality of Service (QoS) survey, securing the highest overall ranking in 14 of the 18 cities assessed during the first quarter of 2026.
The survey, conducted between January and March under the Cellular Mobile Network Quality of Service Regulations 2021, evaluated the performance of Pakistan’s four major mobile operators Jazz, Zong, Ufone, and Telenor. Over a 75-day period, the regulator carried out more than 43,000 voice and SMS tests and collected millions of broadband samples across approximately 2,705 kilometres.
Jazz recorded the highest overall compliance rate at 95 percent, finishing first in cities including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, Swabi, Haripur, Hub, Moro, Sujawal, Taunsa, Pir Mahal, Ghazi, Mailsi, Karachi West, and Pabbi Town.
The operator also delivered the fastest average download speed among all networks at 33.96 Mbps, leading this category in 13 of the 18 surveyed cities.
Zong Excels in Voice Services
Zong secured the top overall position in Loralai, Malikwal, Sialkot, and Zhob, finishing second nationwide with a compliance score of 93 percent.
The network outperformed its competitors in voice-related indicators, including call accessibility, successful call setup, call completion, and voice clarity. It also recorded the highest average upload speed of 22.55 Mbps and ranked first for upload performance in 12 cities.
Ufone and Telenor Trail Behind
Ufone placed third overall with an 89 percent compliance rate. While it met the PTA’s web page loading benchmark, its download and upload speeds remained behind those of Jazz and Zong.
Telenor ranked last in the survey with a compliance score of 78 percent. It recorded the slowest average download and upload speeds and failed to meet the PTA’s web page loading standards in half of the surveyed cities.
