SIM check on CNIC: how many SIMs are in your name, and how to block one you don't use

For a SIM check on your CNIC, send your 13-digit CNIC number without dashes by SMS to 668, or enter it at cnic.sims.pk, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) SIM Information System. Either one tells you how many SIMs are registered in your name. One CNIC can hold at most five SIMs across all networks. Checked 24 October 2026.

How do I check how many SIMs are on my CNIC?

PTA points people to two official ways, as of June 2026: SMS to 668 and the online portal.

By SMS to 668

When PTA launched 668 in October 2009, each SMS cost Rs 2 including tax (Dawn). We couldn’t find the price as of 2026.

Online at cnic.sims.pk

PTA’s own website, pta.gov.pk, didn’t open from our connection on 24 October 2026. The steps above come from the portal itself and dated news reports of PTA’s statements.

Is there a code to check SIMs on my CNIC?

The “code” people search for is the 668 SMS service; there’s no separate dial code from PTA that we could confirm. The same portal also has a network check: send N and the mobile number (for example N 03xx3456789) to 76367 to see which network a number is on, for Rs 2 plus tax.

How many SIMs can one CNIC have?

Five, across all operators combined. On 3 September 2026 the PTA chairman told the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Interior that a sixth SIM can’t be issued on the same CNIC (Pakistan Connect). PTA set this five-SIM limit in a 2012 directive, replacing an older limit of 10 SIMs per operator (PhoneWorld).

At the same meeting, PTA said about 18.2 million SIMs had been blocked in the past two and a half years (National Assembly press release, Express Tribune). The committee asked for an alert to customers whenever a new SIM is issued in their name. As of October 2026 we found no report that this alert has started.

How do I block a SIM in my name that I don’t use?

PTA’s June 2026 advice is to block “any unknown, unnecessary or suspicious” SIM linked to your CNIC immediately, and to get new SIMs only from authorised franchises or customer service centres (ARY News).

We couldn’t find an official PTA page that sets out the blocking procedure step by step, including what the operator checks. Ask the centre what it needs before you go.

Can someone get a SIM on my CNIC without me?

It happens. In December 2025, PTA’s Peshawar zonal office and the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) raided a Ufone franchise after a woman from Mardan complained that her CNIC had been used to activate SIMs. They seized a biometric verification device and arrested two people, including the franchise owner (APP).

On 3 September 2026 the PTA chairman told MNAs that joint raids with NCCIA had recovered 25,000 SIMs and led to 171 arrests (ARY News). PTA’s advice, as of June 2026, is to check your SIM count regularly.

Can I check a SIM number by CNIC?

The 668 reply and cnic.sims.pk show the count of SIMs on a CNIC, not who owns a given number. As of October 2026 there’s no official, public way to look up a stranger’s SIM details.

For phones, a separate PTA system (DIRBS) decides whether a handset works on Pakistani networks; see PTA tax on mobile phones. The same committee also discussed unauthorised withdrawals and rented bank accounts; if you use a mobile wallet, see Easypaisa vs JazzCash.

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