The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has taken down 176,000 WhatsApp accounts linked to recycled mobile numbers in cooperation with Meta as part of efforts to prevent online fraud and protect mobile users.

PTA officials said the action was taken after the regulator received complaints about fraudsters using WhatsApp accounts registered with mobile numbers that had been cancelled and later reassigned to other subscribers.

To address the issue, the PTA has provided Meta with around 10 million recycled mobile numbers for checking and identification of accounts associated with them.

The two sides have also agreed to establish a regular process under which the regulator will send 5,000 recycled numbers to Meta every month. The platform will use this information to identify and deactivate accounts that could pose a security risk.

PTA officials said mobile network operators currently have around 16 million recycled numbers. The issue arises when WhatsApp accounts registered against these numbers remain operational even after the original SIM cards have been cancelled.

When these numbers are issued to new customers, they may still be connected to existing WhatsApp accounts. This can expose new subscribers to fraudulent messages, impersonation and other forms of cybercrime.

The new arrangement will allow the PTA and Meta to address such cases through a phased process and reduce the possibility of recycled numbers being misused.

Officials also disclosed that Meta addressed 82 percent of complaints referred to it by the PTA during the previous year, indicating progress in cooperation between the regulator and the platform.

The initiative is intended to strengthen online safety in Pakistan by closing a security gap involving cancelled SIM cards and WhatsApp accounts that remain associated with their old numbers.