PTA and IMEI check

Find the IMEI

1. 1Open the phone app and dial *#06#. A dual-SIM phone shows two IMEI numbers. Note both.
2. 2Open Settings > About phone (Android) or Settings > General > About (iPhone) and compare. It should show the same numbers.
3. 3Look at the label on the box and, on many phones, the SIM tray or back. Compare with the invoice or receipt.
4. 4Check that every number matches: phone screen, box, invoice. A phone sold in another box is a warning sign.

Warning. If the IMEI on the screen, the box and the receipt do not match, do not buy the phone. Ask for an explanation, take a photo, and walk away if there is none.

Check PTA status (official)

PTA is the only authority that can say whether a phone is registered or blocked in Pakistan. Check every IMEI the phone shows.

1. 1Use the check box above: it opens PTA's own page or an SMS to 8484 with your IMEI ready. We never receive the IMEI.
2. 2On dirbs.pta.gov.pk enter the 15-digit IMEI, solve the reCAPTCHA, press Check.
3. 3Or send the 15-digit IMEI as an SMS to 8484. Send one SMS per IMEI.
4. 4PTA also has a DIRBS app for Android (search DIRBS on Google Play).

Tip. Check on your own phone, in front of the seller, before you pay. Do not accept a screenshot of a result from the seller.

Read the result

The wording on PTA's page can change, so go by the meaning. A phone that is registered or compliant works on all Pakistani networks. Anything else, such as not registered, blocked or non-compliant, needs an answer before you buy.

Non-PTA phones can stop working on Pakistani networks, which is why a non-PTA price should be much lower, or include proof that registration and taxes are paid.

A phone reported stolen or lost can be blocked. You may not be told why. If PTA shows blocked, do not buy it.

Warning. A good PTA result for an IMEI does not prove the phone in your hand is the original device. Always make sure the IMEI you typed is the IMEI the phone itself shows.

Duplicate, cloned or changed IMEI

Phones with a changed IMEI have been seized in Pakistan; reports mention gangs that change the IMEI of stolen phones. Signs to look for:

1. 1*#06# shows a different number from Settings or from the box.
2. 2The IMEI is not 15 digits, or our check box says it looks wrong (the last digit is a check digit).
3. 3PTA shows a different brand or model from the phone you hold.
4. 4The IMEI is blank, zero, or the same on both SIM slots.
5. 5The price is far below the market price, or the seller will not let you test.

Tip. imei.info can tell you which model an IMEI belongs to. It is a third-party site, not official, and it cannot say whether a phone is genuine or stolen.

Dual SIM

1. 1Check both IMEI 1 and IMEI 2 with PTA. Both must pass.
2. 2Insert a working SIM in each slot and make a call from each. A slot that does not register is a fault or a sign of tampering.

Imported phones: PTA registration and tax

A phone brought into Pakistan has to be registered through PTA's DRS portal after the customs duty and taxes are paid. PTA says its own registration is offered free of charge. The tax rates are set by FBR and Customs, not PTA, and they change with budgets, so we do not print a table here.

Reports of the current policy say a traveller can register a limited number of phones per year and that overseas Pakistanis can use a phone temporarily for a set number of days before paying. Confirm the numbers on the PTA and FBR pages before relying on them.

Warning. When you buy a phone that is not yet registered, ask the seller who will pay the tax and how long registration takes. Do not pay in full until the phone shows as registered.

Common questions