PTA Enforces Device Verification System and Blocks 1.54M Objectionable URLs
ISLAMABAD — The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has issued a public advisory urging consumers to verify the regulatory compliance of mobile handsets through its Device Identification, Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS) prior to purchase, while revealing that national enforcement operations have resulted in blocking more than 1.54 million URLs.
The DIRBS platform automatically identifies, registers, and restricts non-compliant or illegally imported handsets across domestic cellular networks. Consumers can verify a handset's International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) by dialing *#06#, inspecting device packaging, texting the 15-digit code via SMS to 8484, or using the PTA online portal. Unregistered devices that fail verification risk being blocked from accessing domestic mobile networks.
Alongside handset regulations, data released by the PTA's Web Analysis Division details enforcement actions against unlawful and inappropriate digital content, processing over 1.72 million complaints with an overall action rate of 89.37% (1,542,800 URLs blocked).
Content Breakdown & Platform Enforcement:
Decency & Morality Violations: Accounted for the largest share, with 1,065,671 URLs blocked out of 1,075,762 processed cases (99.06% blocking rate).
National Security & Counter-Terrorism: Over 141,000 URLs related to terrorism and 74,000 URLs targeting state security and defense were removed.
Social Media Platforms: Enforcement included 230,270 links on Facebook, 170,231 links on TikTok, 74,236 links on X, 66,290 URLs on YouTube (an 88.6% blocking rate), 50,165 URLs on WhatsApp, and 45,510 URLs on Instagram.
Proxy & Circumvention Sites: Achieved a 99.99% blocking rate (10,318 of 10,319 processed domains).
The PTA confirmed that approximately 76,874 complaints remain under active technical review, while 106,629 requests were rejected for failing to meet statutory blocking criteria.
