Sixty days from the day a local Pakistani SIM goes into the phone, and after that the phone stops getting service. The count is PTA’s own, and it starts when the SIM is inserted — not when the phone was bought or brought into the country. The same FAQ says people on roaming keep using their phones without registering, and that registration is what a local SIM asks for.
When the 60 days start
PTA’s DIRBS FAQ puts it plainly: "The validity regarding the functionality of your device is 60 days starting from the day the SIM is inserted." How old the phone is, or when it entered Pakistan, does not change that.
The same FAQ says that since 15 January 2019 any GSMA-valid but unregistered IMEI seen on a Pakistani network for the first time has to be registered within 60 days, or such devices are blocked.
- Day 1: a Pakistani SIM goes in and the phone is seen on the network for the first time.
- Days 1 to 60: "Device will receive signals for first 60 days."
- Day 61: without registration, "it will not receive any services."
Worth knowing: DIRBS works on the phone’s IMEI, not on the SIM. Putting a different SIM in on day 61 does not start the count again.
What is left after the 60 days
Three separate things, and they are often mixed up.
- Register the phone with PTA. The application and the duty are handled by PTA and FBR’s own systems; we play no part in that.
- WiFi. The phone keeps working on WiFi, because none of this is about WiFi.
- A roaming SIM or eSIM. The same FAQ says users on roaming keep using their phones without registration. The eJugaar data eSIM is that.
The roaming route has plain limits: data only, no Pakistani number, no calls or SMS, and nothing at all on a carrier-locked (JV) phone. Check your phone first, then decide.
Visiting for a while: the 120-day temporary registration
Overseas Pakistanis and foreign nationals visiting short term have a separate route. PTA’s FAQ says the facility runs "for a period of 120 days from date of arrival in Pakistan", validated against the applicant’s passport from FIA data.
It carries a condition people miss: the temporary registration works only with the SIM or number declared in the application, and "in case of insertion of any other SIM, the device shall not allow any network connectivity."
The FAQ also says a later visit needs a fresh application, and that bringing the same phone back does not renew the 60 days.
What people get wrong
- "Change the SIM and you get another 60 days." No. The block is on the phone’s IMEI, so a new SIM does not restart the count.
- "A roaming eSIM registers the phone." No. It carries data; the phone’s standing with PTA is exactly as it was.
- "After 60 days the phone is useless." No. WiFi works, and roaming data works. What stops is local network service.
Questions
Will a new SIM get the phone working again after 60 days?
No. DIRBS acts on the phone’s IMEI rather than the SIM, so a fresh local SIM does not start the 60 days again.
Do the 60 days apply to a roaming eSIM as well?
PTA’s FAQ says users on roaming keep using their phones without registration, and that registration is needed when a local SIM goes in. There is more in our FAQ.
I am in Pakistan for a few weeks — what should I do?
PTA’s temporary registration lasts 120 days and works only with the SIM you declared. If all you need is internet, a roaming data eSIM is the simpler route.
Does eJugaar register my phone with PTA?
No, and we have nothing to do with the duty either. We sell roaming data; registration is something you do through PTA and FBR’s own systems.
If you only need internet
Data-only plans start at Rs 380. Check your phone first: if it cannot take an eSIM, we will say so before you pay.
