The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority initiated the suspension of WhatsApp profiles connected to dormant mobile numbers, according to a recent update. Officials explained that the measure stops the exploitation of telephone lines that previous owners no longer manage.
Representatives for the agency verified that suspensions started after a public awareness drive pushed citizens to tie their messaging profiles to working phone lines they actually own. The regulator previously instructed the public to refresh their WhatsApp registration if their old SIM cards got cancelled, deactivated, or abandoned.
Dormant telephone numbers create security vulnerabilities because mobile service providers might eventually assign them to new customers. Should a messaging profile stay connected to such a line, the past owner risks losing access or opening the profile up to illegal entry.
Regulators advised mobile subscribers to verify their SIM status and confirm their messaging profiles use currently active lines. People who swapped their phone numbers must use the built-in number-change tool within WhatsApp to move their account details over to their active line, protecting ownership and lowering security threats following prior alerts from the agency.
