The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has proposed that prepaid mobile balance should remain valid for the entire active life of a SIM, aiming to strengthen consumer protection in Pakistan.
The proposal is part of a consultation paper issued to telecom operators and the public, with feedback invited until 16 March 2026. PTA stated that prepaid balance represents an advance payment by consumers and should not be forfeited due to short validity periods.
According to the consultation paper, around 97 percent of mobile subscribers in Pakistan use prepaid services, making balance expiry a widespread issue.
The authority noted that consumers often lose unused balance when SIMs are used intermittently, during overseas travel, or when secondary SIMs remain inactive for long periods. PTA also highlighted that it has received multiple complaints about automatic balance expiry despite advance payment for services.
The regulator reviewed current industry practices across major operators, including Jazz, Telenor Pakistan, Zong, and Ufone. It noted wide variations in recharge denominations and validity periods.
In some cases, unused balance expires after a fixed time, while other operators temporarily block the balance and restore it after a new recharge. PTA observed that SMS alerts are sent before expiry, but these measures do not fully prevent consumer losses.
The consultation paper also includes international comparisons, showing that more consumer-friendly approaches are technically feasible. PTA cited practices in global markets where unused balance remains valid for longer periods or is refundable after verification.
The authority proposed linking prepaid balance to subscriber verification records, including CNIC-based identification and Know Your Customer procedures, to allow balance restoration or refunds where required.
Under the proposed framework, the prepaid balance would remain valid as long as the SIM stays active under PTA’s lifecycle rules. If a SIM is deactivated, the remaining balance could be restored upon reactivation or refunded through bank transfer or mobile wallet after verification.
PTA said the objective is to introduce a uniform, industry-wide policy to ensure transparency, fairness, and stronger consumer rights across Pakistan’s telecom sector.