Islamabad:
In a great advance in research on the illegal sale of personal data of Pakistani citizens, researchers are identifying 139 platforms allegedly involved in the racket, it emerged on Wednesday.
According to the sources, the cases are expected to register soon, followed by arrests of those responsible.
According to sources from the Ministry of Interior, a Special Research Team (SIT) of the National Cyber Crime Research Agency (NCCIA) has completed a substantial part of its investigation into the sale of citizens’ data through the Internet and social networks.
During the investigation, the researchers discovered that the illegal business was running through 139 online platforms.
The SIT has tracked 18 mobile applications, 17 websites and two YouTube channels that supposedly sell data for money. In addition, 75 Facebook pages, 10 Instagram accounts, 12 telegram channels and 10 Tiktok accounts were identified as directly involved in the racket.
The researchers revealed that some operators had created dedicated Facebook pages and WhatsApp groups to openly market their services, attracting buyers for stolen or filtered data.
“In some cases, even these platforms deceived their own customers taking payments and then disappearing, closing numbers or sending false data,” said a source.
The NCCIA team is expected to move to the second phase of its operation soon, where formal cases will be recorded and arrests will be made.
The investigation was launched after Express News reported for the first time about the sale of citizens’ data last year in 2024, and again on September 7 of this year, when it issued another report that exhibits a new leak. Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi, subsequently realized, ordering a complete investigation and ordering that those responsible be taken before justice.
Following his instructions, the general director of the NCCIA, Waqaruddin Syed, formed the SIT and in charge of completing the investigation within 14 days.
Although the team then requested, and was granted, three additional weeks, the sources said that it has now completed key parts of their work and is ready to continue.
