The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is planning to introduce a new and easier way for people to get SIM cards, especially for those who face problems during fingerprint verification.
The proposed system will allow customers to verify their identity through facial recognition instead of relying only on fingerprint scans. The new method is mainly designed to help senior citizens, laborers, and other people whose fingerprints cannot be verified properly.
Many people in Pakistan experience fingerprint verification failures because their fingerprints have faded due to age, years of manual work, injuries, or certain medical conditions. When this happens, they often cannot complete the SIM registration process even though they are the rightful owners of their identity documents.
To solve this issue, PTA has submitted a detailed report to the government and Parliament explaining its progress in developing a secure alternative verification system.
According to the report, the authority has made significant progress toward introducing facial verification as a permanent solution for SIM registration.
Under the proposed system, customers will be able to verify their identity using NADRA’s Pak ID mobile application.
The Pak ID app is already used by many citizens for various NADRA services, and PTA believes it can also provide a safe and reliable method for verifying customers before issuing new SIM cards.
PTA has officially requested the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to allow both fingerprint verification and facial biometric verification through the Pak ID app.
The authority has also recommended that the government direct NADRA to formally approve the use of the application for SIM registration.
Once NADRA gives its approval, mobile network operators will be able to use facial verification when issuing SIM cards at their customer service centers and franchise outlets across Pakistan.
This means that people whose fingerprints cannot be scanned successfully will have another secure option to complete the registration process without unnecessary delays.
The report also revealed that thousands of people have already benefited from an alternative verification system currently being used.
According to PTA, 70,871 SIM cards have been issued through a special verification process between January 2025 and the present.
These SIM cards were issued to customers whose fingerprints repeatedly failed during the normal biometric verification process.
Instead of fingerprint verification, these customers were able to prove their identity using official NADRA-issued verification letters or medical certificates.
PTA said this temporary system has already helped thousands of people who otherwise would have been unable to obtain a SIM card.
At the same time, the authority has continued working on a more permanent and technology-based solution.
According to the report, PTA has successfully completed facial verification trials in partnership with NADRA and Pakistan’s mobile network operators.
The authority also completed a successful proof of concept for facial verification using the NADRA Pak ID application.
A proof of concept is an initial test conducted to confirm that a new system works properly before it is introduced on a larger scale.
PTA stated that the trials produced positive results and demonstrated that facial verification can securely verify customers’ identities.
The report also confirmed that mobile phone companies have already completed the technical preparations needed to support facial verification for SIM issuance.
This means telecom operators are ready to implement the system once they receive final approval from NADRA and the government.
PTA is also considering making the SIM registration process even more convenient in the future.
According to the report, discussions are underway about allowing customers to apply for and receive SIM cards through the official mobile applications of telecom companies.
If this plan is approved, customers may be able to complete much of the SIM registration process directly from their smartphones without visiting customer service centers.
However, even if online SIM issuance becomes available, PTA emphasized that all identity verification will continue to be carried out through NADRA’s official biometric authentication system.
This means customers will still need to complete either fingerprint verification or facial recognition to ensure that every SIM card is issued securely and only to its rightful owner.
The authority says maintaining strong security measures remains its top priority while making the registration process easier for citizens.
The proposed facial verification system is expected to provide significant relief for elderly people, daily wage workers, factory employees, construction workers, farmers, and others whose fingerprints have become difficult to scan because of years of physical work.
It will also reduce unnecessary visits to customer service centers, speed up the SIM registration process, and make mobile services more accessible to people across Pakistan.
If approved, the new verification system will modernize the SIM issuance process by combining convenience with strong identity protection. PTA believes the use of facial recognition through NADRA’s Pak ID app will help more people obtain SIM cards quickly while ensuring that security standards remain fully protected
