Federal Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi has taken notice of the reports, which indicate that sensitive information of high-ranking Pakistani officials is accessible on publicly searchable websites.
Reports on Sunday revealed that detailed personal data – including mobile SIM ownership records, call logs, and national identity documents – belonging to federal ministers, senior bureaucrats, and thousands of ordinary citizens is being traded openly online.
In response, Naqvi directed the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) to launch a full-scale inquiry and formed a 14-member special committee to investigate the breach. The committee has been instructed to submit its findings within 14 days.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior told media that the NCCIA investigation is underway, with the team tasked with identifying those responsible and initiating legal action.
According to the reports, mobile SIM ownership details, images of CNICs, call data records, and international travel histories are being sold online, sometimes for as little as Rs500. The trade reportedly includes information from ordinary citizens to top government officials.
Despite previous claims by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) that such websites had been blocked, the illegal sale of personal data continues. Multiple platforms are still reportedly peddling this information, leaving individuals at risk of harassment, extortion, and criminal exploitation.
Cybersecurity experts have described the situation as a systemic failure, warning that the breach could have serious implications for national security and public confidence in state institutions.
The PTA has come under renewed scrutiny, with critics highlighting regulatory lapses and calling for urgent reforms to prevent similar breaches in the future. Attempts to reach the PTA’s spokesperson and Director of Communications for comment were unsuccessful.
