Pakistan’s telecom regulator has ordered mobile operators to protect prepaid balances for at least 180 days and automatically restore expired balances after a subsequent recharge.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has ordered cellular mobile operators to provide prepaid subscribers with a minimum 180-day validity on every recharge, with expired balances to be automatically restored when users recharge again.
The new framework will take effect on Oct. 1, 2026, in a move aimed at preventing prepaid customers from permanently losing unused mobile balance.
According to the PTA’s determination, about 97% of mobile subscribers in Pakistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan use prepaid connections, making balance expiry a significant consumer protection issue.
The regulator said the forfeiture of unused balance could disproportionately affect low-income subscribers who recharge infrequently but retain funds in their accounts.
Expired Balance to Be Restored
Under the new rules, every recharge or balance must remain valid for at least 180 days. If a subscriber’s balance expires while the SIM remains active, the operator will be required to automatically reinstate the expired balance after the subscriber makes a subsequent recharge.
The PTA also directed operators to avoid unfair commercial practices while implementing the decision.
The determination follows repeated consumer complaints about the permanent loss of prepaid balances after their validity periods expired.
During an earlier public consultation, the PTA had considered stronger options, including keeping balances valid throughout the active life of a SIM and linking unused balances to a subscriber’s CNIC so they could potentially be restored on another SIM or refunded.
Public feedback largely supported stronger consumer protections, with respondents arguing that prepaid balances represent customers’ money and should not be permanently forfeited.
Operators Raise Concerns
Mobile operators expressed differing views during the consultation.
Jazz supported longer balance protection and told the regulator it had already implemented a system under which prepaid balances remain valid while the SIM is active.
Telenor opposed indefinite validity but said expired balances are automatically restored following a subsequent recharge.
PTML and CMPak raised concerns about permanent validity, citing potential financial liabilities, dormant SIMs, system changes and financial reporting and numbering-resource management issues.
Operators also opposed the proposed CNIC-linked mechanism, citing technical complexity, fraud risks, ownership disputes and additional compliance costs.
The PTA said operators had nevertheless broadly acknowledged the need to protect consumers from permanently losing unused prepaid balances.
The regulator also referred to international practices, including Vodafone in the United Kingdom, where prepaid balances remain valid while a SIM is active and customers may seek refunds for unused balances or bundles within a specified period after disconnection.
The PTA concluded that minimum balance validity, combined with automatic restoration after a subsequent recharge, would strengthen consumer protection while allowing telecom operators to maintain commercial viability.
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