The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, in consultation with Cellular Mobile Operators, has rationalised charges associated with eSIM services by capping the initial issuance fee at Rs1,500 and allowing subscribers to transfer their eSIMs between compatible handsets free of charge for up to 10 migrations, with the revised policy set to take effect by mid-August 2026.
The move comes in compliance with directions from a parliamentary panel, which had instructed the telecom regulator to finalise a revised eSIM transfer policy aimed at making the technology more consumer-friendly while reducing unnecessary visits to customer service centres.
According to the PTA, under the existing mechanism, an eSIM can already be transferred from one mobile phone to another a specified number of times using the same QR code issued at the time of original purchase and activation, without additional charges. Following consultations with CMOs, however, the regulator has now formally rationalised the charging structure by lowering the maximum initial eSIM issuance fee to Rs1,500 and introducing free transfers for up to 10 device migrations, with the revised framework becoming operational by mid-month.
The parliamentary committee had also directed the PTA to develop a secure digital mechanism enabling subscribers to migrate eSIMs between compatible devices without visiting customer service centres, while maintaining robust security standards.
Separately, the PTA has informed the committee that it is working with the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and cellular operators to introduce a multi-factor subscriber verification mechanism aimed at strengthening the security of SIM issuance and ownership verification. The regulator said a two-pronged strategy is currently under consideration.
Under the first proposal, NADRA is assessing the feasibility of enabling SIM issuance through its Pak ID mobile application using facial recognition technology, a step expected to allow eligible users to complete identity verification remotely, reducing reliance on physical biometric verification. The second proposal envisions self-service biometric verification through cellular operators’ own mobile applications, under which subscribers would authenticate themselves against NADRA’s database via the operators’ apps for SIM issuance and related services.
