667 vs 668 Pakistan 2026 — Which SIM Check Method to Use When Complete Comparison

In Pakistan’s mobile ecosystem, two short codes — 667 and 668 — are among the most powerful tools available to every SIM card holder. Both are free, both work from any Pakistani network, both are officially operated under PTA’s regulatory framework, and both involve sending your CNIC number via SMS. Yet they do completely different things, and confusing them is one of the most common mistakes Pakistani mobile users make.

This guide provides the definitive, complete comparison of 667 vs 668 — what each one does, exactly how to use each, when to use which, what the results mean, and the specific situations where each code is the right choice. After reading this guide, you will never confuse these two critical services again.

One-Line Difference: 668 tells you which SIMs are registered on your CNIC. 667 moves your phone number from one network to another (Mobile Number Portability). They solve completely different problems.

What Is 668? — Complete Explanation

The 668 service is PTA’s official SMS-based SIM verification system. When you send your 13-digit CNIC number to 668, PTA’s Centralized SIM Registration System (CSRS) returns a real-time list of every active SIM registered under your CNIC across all Pakistani networks — Jazz, Zong, Telenor, Ufone, and SCO.

What 668 Is Used For:

Checking how many SIMs are currently active on your CNIC
Verifying that all SIMs on your CNIC are ones you legitimately own
Detecting unauthorized SIM registrations (fraud detection)
Confirming your SIM count before registering a new SIM
Monthly security monitoring of your mobile identity
Providing evidence for PTA complaints about unauthorized SIMs

How to Use 668:

Open SMS app on any Pakistani SIM
New message → To: 668
Message body: Your 13-digit CNIC (no dashes, no spaces)
Send → Receive reply within 30–60 seconds
Reply lists all active SIMs on your CNIC by number and network

What 668 Shows:

Total number of active SIMs on your CNIC
Each SIM’s mobile number
The network operator for each SIM (Jazz, Zong, Telenor, Ufone, SCO)

What 668 Does NOT Show:

Who is calling you
The owner of someone else’s number
SIM registration dates (franchise only)
SIMs registered on other people’s CNICs

For the complete guide to using 668 and Pakistan’s full SIM registration monitoring infrastructure, visit our Pakistan SIM database guide.

What Is 667? — Complete Explanation

The 667 service is Pakistan’s official Mobile Number Portability (MNP) system. It allows you to keep your existing phone number while switching your service from one network operator to another. When you initiate a port via 667, your number moves from your current operator (the “donor”) to the new operator (the “recipient”) — your number stays identical, only the network changes.

What 667 Is Used For:

Switching from Jazz to Zong (or any other network combination) while keeping your number
Verifying SIM ownership as part of the porting process
Checking the status of a pending port request
Cancelling a port request you no longer want

How to Use 667 (to initiate a port):

Visit the franchise of the network you want to move TO
Tell them you want to port your existing number
Provide your CNIC and the number you want to port
The franchise initiates the port — or you can self-initiate:
- Open SMS app on the SIM you want to port
- New message → To: 667
- Message body: Your 13-digit CNIC (no dashes, no spaces)
- Send → Receive port initiation confirmation with Port Request ID

What Happens After You Send to 667:

PTA’s MNP system verifies you are the registered owner of the number
Your current operator (donor) receives a port-out notification
The donor has 8 working hours to raise a valid objection
If no valid objection, the port is approved and your number moves to the new network within 2–24 hours

What 667 Does NOT Do:

Show SIMs on your CNIC (that is 668’s job)
Block unauthorized SIMs
Check for fraud
Give you any information about who owns other numbers

667 vs 668 — Complete Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature	667 (MNP Service)	668 (SIM Verification)
Primary purpose	Port number to new network	Check SIMs on your CNIC
What you send	Your CNIC number	Your CNIC number
What you receive	Port confirmation / ownership verification	List of all registered SIMs
Network switching	✅ Yes — core function	❌ No
Fraud detection	❌ No	✅ Yes — primary use case
SIM count check	❌ No	✅ Yes
Works from any network	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Free of charge	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
PTA regulated	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
NADRA biometric linked	✅ Yes (ownership verify)	✅ Yes (live CNIC lookup)
Reversible action	✅ Yes (cancel port)	✅ (read-only, no action)
Requires network change	✅ Intent to change	❌ No
Real-time database	✅ Near real-time	✅ Near real-time
Available 24/7	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Works abroad	❌ No (local short code)	❌ No (local short code)

When to Use 668 — Specific Situations

Use 668 in any of these situations:

Situation 1: Monthly Security Check

Every Pakistani should check their CNIC via 668 monthly. It takes 60 seconds and is your primary fraud detection tool.

Situation 2: After Sharing Your CNIC Anywhere

Any time you give your CNIC to a hotel, bank, employer, or any institution — check 668 within 48 hours to confirm no unauthorized SIM was registered.

Situation 3: After Losing Your Wallet

If your wallet is lost or stolen and your CNIC may have been accessed — check 668 immediately and every day for 2 weeks.

Situation 4: Before Buying a New SIM

Check 668 to confirm how many SIM slots you have remaining (maximum 5 total). If you are at 5, you need to deactivate one before registering a new one.

Situation 5: After a Fraud Alert

If you receive suspicious calls, your bank sends unexpected OTP alerts, or your mobile wallet shows unusual activity — check 668 immediately to see if a new unauthorized SIM has been registered.

Situation 6: After Receiving a “Your SIM Is Active” Notification You Didn’t Request

Any operator SMS confirming activation of a SIM you did not register → check 668 immediately.

Situation 7: Family Security Audit

Check 668 for every CNIC in your household — including elderly relatives and young adults. Criminals target family members who do not monitor their own CNICs.

When to Use 667 — Specific Situations

Use 667 in any of these situations:

Situation 1: You Want to Switch Networks

You are a Jazz subscriber unhappy with coverage, pricing, or service — and you want to move to Zong, Telenor, or Ufone while keeping your current number. Use 667 to initiate the Mobile Number Portability process.

Situation 2: Better Network in Your Area

You have discovered that a different network has stronger 4G/5G coverage in your home or workplace area — and you want to switch without losing your established number.

Situation 3: Better Package Value

A competing network is offering significantly better data, call, or SMS packages — and you want to benefit without changing your number (which affects your bank OTPs, WhatsApp, and contacts).

Situation 4: Operator Service Has Deteriorated

Your current operator’s service quality has declined and the helpline has not resolved the issue. Switching via 667 MNP is your market mechanism to move to a better-performing operator.

Situation 5: Corporate SIM Management

A company managing multiple employee SIMs may want to consolidate all numbers onto one operator for billing simplicity — using 667 to port existing employee numbers to the target network.

The Most Common Confusion — Why People Mix Up 667 and 668

The confusion between 667 and 668 happens for understandable reasons:

Reason 1: Both codes are three digits 667 and 668 differ by only one digit. Under stress (discovering potential fraud), it is easy to send to the wrong number.

Reason 2: Both require sending your CNIC number The act of sending your CNIC as an SMS to a three-digit code feels identical for both. The codes feel the same to use — but do completely different things.

Reason 3: Both involve SIM “verification” Both codes involve PTA verifying your identity against NADRA’s biometric database. But 668 verifies to show you your SIMs, while 667 verifies to confirm ownership as part of a network switch.

Reason 4: Online confusion Many online guides, forum posts, and social media content incorrectly describe 667 and 668 interchangeably — spreading the confusion further.

The Consequence of the Mix-Up:

If you mean to check SIMs (668) but send to 667: You will initiate an MNP process — potentially starting a port request you did not intend. If you receive a port confirmation message after accidentally sending to 667, reply immediately with the cancellation code shown in the message, or call your current operator’s helpline right away.

If you mean to port your number (667) but send to 668: You will receive a list of SIMs on your CNIC — nothing harmful, but your port was not initiated. You will need to start the port process correctly via 667.

Can You Use Both 667 and 668 Together? — Yes, and Here Is When

There are specific situations where using both codes in sequence makes perfect sense:

Before Porting (667 → Check 668 First):

Before initiating a port via 667, use 668 to verify your CNIC SIM record is clean:

Send CNIC to 668 → Confirm your current SIM count and that no unauthorized SIMs exist
Confirm your biometric verification is complete (check via operator USSD)
Then proceed with 667 to initiate the port

This sequence ensures your SIM record is in order before the port process begins — reducing the risk of rejection due to BVS issues.

After Porting (667 process → Check 668 After):

After completing a port via 667, use 668 to verify the database reflects the change:

Complete port via 667
Wait 60–90 minutes after port completion
Send CNIC to 668 → Confirm the ported number now shows under your CNIC with the new network label

The 668 check confirms the port was correctly recorded in PTA’s national database — giving you official verification that the MNP process completed successfully.

For comprehensive monitoring of your SIM status after any registration change — port, new SIM, or blocking — visit simsownersdetails.pk/sim-info/.

667 and 668 — Quick Decision Matrix

Use this matrix when you are unsure which code to use:

Question	Answer → Use
Are there SIMs on my CNIC I don’t recognize?	668
How many SIM slots do I have left on my CNIC?	668
Did someone register a SIM on my CNIC without permission?	668
I want to keep my number but switch from Jazz to Zong	667
I want to move from Telenor to Ufone	667
I suspect SIM fraud — what should I check?	668
I want better 5G coverage on a different network	667
I want to verify my SIM is correctly registered	668
I received an unexpected port confirmation — cancel it	667
I want to block an unauthorized SIM	668 (then PTA 0800-55055)

Frequently Asked Questions — 667 vs 668 Pakistan

Q: I sent my CNIC to 667 by mistake when I meant to send to 668. What should I do?
A: Check if you received a port request confirmation message. If you did, immediately call your current operator’s helpline (Jazz 111, Zong 310, Telenor 345, or Ufone 333) and provide the Port Request ID to cancel. Act within the 8-hour window — after that the port may proceed. If you received no port confirmation, the message was likely not processed as a port request and no action is needed.

Q: Does sending to 667 cost money?
A: The 667 SMS itself is free. If a port is initiated, there is no PTA fee for MNP — it is a free service. However, your new operator may have specific SIM or activation requirements that carry nominal costs.

Q: Can I use 667 to check SIM details like 668?
A: No. 667 is exclusively for Mobile Number Portability. It does not show SIM details, CNIC-linked registrations, or any ownership information in the way 668 does.

Q: After using 668 and finding an unauthorized SIM, should I then use 667?
A: No — 667 is not related to fraud reporting. After finding an unauthorized SIM via 668, call PTA 0800-55055 and the relevant operator’s helpline. Do not use 667 in this process.

Q: What happens if I send 667 from a SIM I do not want to port?
A: A port request is linked to the specific number you send from — it initiates porting of that number. Sending from a number you do not want to port could accidentally start that number’s port process. Always send 667 from the specific SIM you actually want to port.

Q: Is there a minimum subscription period before I can use 667 to port my number?
A: Prepaid numbers can generally be ported at any time. Postpaid numbers may have minimum contract periods — check with your operator. Additionally, there is a 90-day waiting period between successive ports of the same number.

Q: Both 667 and 668 are free — does this mean I can check as many times as I want?
A: For 668, yes — you can send as many queries as you want. For 667, each SMS initiates a port request — do not send repeatedly as each could create a separate port process.

Q: Can I check someone else’s CNIC via 668 to see their SIMs?
A: No. Checking another person’s CNIC via 668 is illegal under PECA 2016 Section 14. The system is only for checking your own CNIC. 668 checks should always be for your own CNIC number only.

Summary — 667 vs 668 Pakistan

	667	668
Full name	Mobile Number Portability	SIM Verification Service
Use it to	Switch networks, keep number	Check SIMs on your CNIC
When to use	Changing operators	Monthly security check
What you send	Your CNIC to 667	Your CNIC to 668
Fraud-related	No	Yes — primary fraud detection
Cost	Free	Free
Action it takes	Initiates port request	Read-only query
Can cancel	Yes (within 8 hours)	N/A (no action to cancel)

Memorize the difference: 668 = security check (think 8 = investigate), 667 = operator switch (think 7 = move on). Once this distinction is clear, you will always use the right code at the right time.

For Pakistan’s most complete SIM monitoring and fraud detection resource, visit Sim Owner Details — and explore the Pakistan SIM database guide to understand the full infrastructure behind both services.

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