Pakistan starts blocking WhatsApp accounts tied to unused SIM cards

Pakistan has started blocking WhatsApp accounts that are linked to SIM cards that are no longer active. The move comes from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, known as the PTA, according to a report from Pakistan Connect published on October 29, 2026.

What changed

The PTA is the country's telecom regulator. It oversees phone companies and mobile services. Under this move, a WhatsApp account whose phone number belongs to an inactive SIM card can be blocked. A SIM card is the small chip that connects your phone to a mobile network and holds your number.

Who it affects

Anyone in Pakistan who let a number lapse and still uses WhatsApp on it may lose access to the account tied to that number. That includes people who switched to a new SIM but never moved their WhatsApp account over.

What to do

• Check which number your WhatsApp account uses.
• If that SIM is old or unused, keep it active.
• Or move the account to a number you use every day.

What is not known yet

The report does not say how the PTA decides that a SIM is inactive, or how long a number can sit unused before an account is blocked. It also does not say whether blocked users can get their accounts back, or how. Those details matter, and they were not part of the material available. Readers in Pakistan should watch for official word from the PTA and WhatsApp.