PTML Challenges PTA's Onic Order in Court: What Onic Users Should Do
PTML has challenged PTA's Onic order in court, reported 9 October 2026. Read what the order says, when the 3-month move ends and what Onic users should do now.
PTML, the company behind Ufone and Onic, has challenged in court the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority's (PTA) order to stop Onic's sales, it was reported on 9 October 2026. The order, signed on 11 September 2026 and now on PTA's website, gives PTML three months to move existing Onic users to PTML. If you use Onic, your number keeps working; do not buy a new Onic SIM until this is settled.
The first reports of the order in September could only describe it second-hand. The full eight-page decision is now posted under "Authority's Determinations" on pta.gov.pk, and we read it on 10 October 2026. It confirms what was reported and adds detail on the numbers, the deadlines and why PTA ruled as it did.
PTML has taken PTA's Onic order to court, as reported
Pak Telecom Mobile Limited (PTML) has filed a legal challenge against PTA's order, according to reports on 9 October 2026. PTML disputes PTA's finding that Onic is a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), a company that sells mobile service on another network's towers and needs its own licence.
We could not see the petition itself. The reports do not name the court or say whether any judge has suspended the order. PTML had not posted a public statement when we checked, so treat the court challenge as reported, not confirmed.
This is the second round. PTML first went to the Islamabad High Court in 2023, in Writ Petition No. 2524/2023, after PTA told it on 10 August 2023 not to launch Onic. On 11 February 2026 the court sent the matter back to PTA for a reasoned decision, and kept its 2023 interim relief in place until PTA decided.
PTA's order stops new Onic SIMs and sets two deadlines
The order directs PTML to "immediately discontinue" Onic's new sales, activations, SIM and eSIM issuance, subscriptions, marketing and commercial services. Existing users are protected by a three-month window for moving them to PTML. PTML also had to file a compliance report within seven working days.
| Item | What PTA's order says |
|---|---|
| Hearing | 18 August 2026, before the Chairman and two Members |
| Order signed | 11 September 2026 |
| New SIMs, eSIMs, sales and marketing | Stop immediately |
| Existing Onic users | Move to PTML within 3 months of receipt |
| Compliance report | Within 7 working days of receipt |
| Onic's future | Only with PTA authorisation |
The order does not give a calendar end date for the three months. It runs from the day PTML received the order, which is not public. If PTML received it in mid-September, the window would close around mid-December 2026.
On 10 October 2026, onic.pk still showed an "Order Now" button and invited visitors to pick a physical SIM or an eSIM. We did not place an order, so we cannot say whether a new connection would actually be activated.
Why PTA says Onic needs an MVNO licence
PTA decided that Onic, as set up, has the "essential characteristics" of an MVNO under the federal government's MVNO Policy Framework 2025. The order lists the reasons: a separate brand and marketing, its own packages, separate billing and customer records, its own app and complaint channels, and a separate company running much of it.
That company is Digital Technology Managed Services (DTMS), set up on 8 June 2023. Under an agreement with PTML, DTMS runs Onic's app, marketing, customer sign-up checks, SIM delivery and customer service. It gets 55% of the relevant revenue in the first three years, a share that falls later. Onic's own website lists DTMS as Onic's legal name.
PTML argued Onic is simply its own brand. It said the spectrum, the numbers and the customers all stay with PTML. Onic numbers use PTML's 0339 series. PTML also offered changes, such as a common SIM design, and asked for about six months. PTA said needing more time is not a legal basis for carrying on.
PTML now has two routes under the order. It can rebuild Onic as a plain PTML product under Ufone's existing licence, or the relevant company can get an MVNO licence. The 2025 policy sets the national MVNO licence fee at USD 140,000, far below the USD 5 million in the 2012 rules. The licence process is set out in how an MVNO licence is granted in Pakistan.
What Onic users should do while the case runs
Keep using your SIM normally. The order was written to protect existing users from losing service, and the court challenge does not change that. Your 0339 number belongs to PTML's numbering range, so it is not tied to Onic surviving.
- Keep your SIM active and recharge only what you need for the next few weeks.
- Take a screenshot of your balance, data and bundle expiry in the Onic app.
- Do not buy a second Onic SIM or a long bundle until the case is decided.
- Watch for an SMS from Onic or Ufone about moving to PTML.
- If you would rather leave now, port your number to another network.
The background on what the order means for your number and balance, from when it was first reported, is in whether Onic is shutting down. If Onic or Ufone does not answer a complaint about your balance, PTA's complaint portal is the next step, as set out in filing a telecom complaint with PTA.
Common questions
Is Onic shut down now?
No. PTA ordered new sales to stop, but existing users keep service while they are moved to PTML. PTML is now challenging the order in court, as reported.
Will I lose my Onic number?
Nothing in the order says so. Onic numbers are in PTML's 0339 series, and the three-month window is for moving users to PTML without a break.
Can I still buy an Onic SIM?
PTA's order says new SIM and eSIM issuance must stop. Onic's website still showed an order button on 10 October 2026, but we did not test whether a new SIM would be activated.
When does the three-month window end?
Three months from the day PTML received the order. That date is not public. If it was mid-September, the window ends around mid-December 2026.
Has a court stopped PTA's order?
We found no confirmation either way. Reports on 9 October 2026 said PTML had filed a challenge but did not say whether the court suspended the order.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
We checked on 10 October 2026. The order's terms, dates, reasons, the 55% revenue share, the 0339 series, the 2023 writ petition and the 11 February 2026 remand are from PTA's decision "Launch of PTML Digital Product with associated Pre-paid SIMs and Telecom Services Bundles, ONIC", signed 11 September 2026, on PTA's Authority's Determinations page. The court challenge is reported only; we could not see the petition or any court order. The order button and the DTMS name are from onic.pk, read the same day.
About the author
Technology Journalist & Multimedia Producer
Ahmad Ali is a technology journalist and multimedia producer at Pakistan Era, joining the team in October 2026. He covers consumer technology and digital life for Pakistani readers, combining research with hands-on product testing.
