The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has uncovered a concerning issue involving police officers implicated in the illegal sale of mobile phone SIM data. This breach has raised alarms about the security of telecom customers’ sensitive information.
Following an investigation into 21 complaints regarding data leaks, the PTA found that police officers from Balochistan, Punjab, and Sindh were involved in selling confidential telecom data in the open market. The investigation revealed that 72 investigating officers had access to this sensitive information, which was being sold for amounts ranging from Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000 per user.
The officers allegedly involved in these activities were reportedly earning substantial sums, with daily earnings estimated between Rs 2 lakh to Rs 2.5 lakh. When confronted, the implicated officers claimed that their accounts had been misused by others, a defense that has raised further questions about the integrity of the involved parties.
Despite the gravity of these allegations, the PTA has indicated that it lacks the authority to take direct action against the officers. The matter has been escalated to the Ministry of Interior, with the PTA urging a revision of the existing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to prevent future breaches. The PTA emphasized the necessity of a robust strategy to secure customer data and prevent security personnel from engaging in such illegal activities.
