668 SIM Check — How To Check Every SIM On Your CNIC
668 is the single SMS shortcode PTA uses to tell you exactly which SIMs, on which networks, are registered against your CNIC. This guide covers the exact format to send, what the reply means, and how to fix it when it doesn't work the first time.
What The 668 SIM Check Actually Does
668 isn't a customer-support line or an operator code — it's PTA's own national shortcode, sitting outside any single network, built specifically to answer one question: "which SIMs are registered against this CNIC, right now?"
When you text your CNIC to 668, the message goes straight to PTA's central subscriber registration system — the same system every operator checks against during biometric verification at the point of sale. Because it isn't tied to Jazz, Zong, Telenor, Ufone, or SCOM individually, the reply you get back merges results from all five, in one message, regardless of which network's SIM you used to send the text.
That's the key difference between 668 and an operator's own "check my balance" or "my number" shortcode: those only ever look inside their own network. 668 looks across the entire national registry, tied to your identity rather than to any one SIM.
How To Send The Check, Correctly
Tap each step to expand it — most failed checks come down to one of the small formatting details below.
01Open your messaging app
02Type your CNIC — 13 digits, no dashes
03Set the recipient to 668
04Send the message
05Wait for the automated reply
06Read every line of the result
Do's And Don'ts For The 668 Format
✅ Do
- ✓Send exactly 13 digits, nothing else, in the message body.
- ✓Use the CNIC of the person whose SIMs you want to see.
- ✓Keep your original SMS if you're planning to reference it in a complaint.
- ✓Retry once after a minute if you get no reply at all.
- ✓Switch to cnic.sims.pk if SMS repeatedly fails.
🚫 Don't
- ✕Include dashes, spaces, or the word "CNIC" in the message.
- ✕Send someone else's CNIC without their knowledge.
- ✕Pay any third-party number or app claiming to run this for a fee.
- ✕Confuse 668 with your operator's own balance-check shortcode.
- ✕Assume no reply means no SIMs — check your signal first.
What Each Status Word Means
The 668 reply labels every SIM with a short status. Here's what each one actually indicates, so you don't misread a routine label as a problem.
The SIM is live and currently usable on its network — the normal state for a SIM you're using regularly.
Temporarily paused, most often for an unpaid postpaid bill, a dormant prepaid balance, or a pending re-verification.
Deactivated by PTA or the operator, typically after a confirmed complaint, compliance action, or unresolved biometric mismatch.
Every Network Answers The Same 668 Query
You don't need to send the CNIC from a specific operator's SIM — 668 works the same way regardless of which network's connection you're texting from, and it returns results from all of these in a single reply.
668 vs. The Web Portal — Which Should You Use?
📩 668 SMS
Faster in almost every case, and it works without any internet connection at all — ideal if you're somewhere with weak data coverage, or you just want the quickest possible answer. The trade-off is that you can't easily save or print the reply, and very long SIM lists can occasionally get split across two messages.
🌐 cnic.sims.pk
Slightly slower to set up since it needs a browser and data connection, but it typically shows more detail per SIM — including activation dates in many cases — and gives you a result you can screenshot, save, or print. Better suited when you're preparing documentation for a complaint or a franchise visit.
For a fuller side-by-side including operator "my number" codes, see our complete PTA SIM Check Online guide.
Troubleshooting A Failed 668 Check
Use responsibly: the 668 check is meant for confirming SIMs registered against your own CNIC. Sending someone else's CNIC without their consent falls outside what this method is designed for and can raise legal issues under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016. If a listed SIM turns out to be unauthorized, escalate through your operator's helpline and, if fraud is confirmed, file a report with the NCCIA rather than attempting to resolve it yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does 668 cost anything beyond the SMS itself?
No — it's billed exactly like any other outgoing text at your operator's standard rate, with no premium surcharge for the shortcode.
Can I check a CNIC that isn't mine?
Only with that person's knowledge and consent — the result is tied to whichever CNIC you send, not to who sends the SMS.
Is 668 the same across Jazz, Zong, Telenor, Ufone, and SCOM?
Yes — it's a national shortcode independent of any single operator, so it works the same way regardless of which network you're texting from.
Why did I get two separate replies?
If your CNIC has enough SIMs registered against it that the list doesn't fit in one SMS, PTA's system splits the result across two messages.
Can I use 668 to check an eSIM?
Yes — eSIMs are registered against your CNIC the same way physical SIMs are, so they appear in the same 668 reply.
What if I've lost access to my registered number?
You can send the CNIC check from any working SIM — 668 doesn't need to originate from one of the numbers being checked.
Is there a limit to how often I can check?
There's no meaningful restriction on checking your own CNIC — you can re-run it as often as you like.
Does the reply show who registered each SIM?
It shows the operator and status for each SIM, not the name of the person who physically completed the registration at a franchise.
Related & Official Resources
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