ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has blocked more than 1,300 websites, mobile apps, and social media pages allegedly involved in selling the leaked personal data of Pakistani citizens, including federal ministers and senior officials.
The move follows local media reports exposing how sensitive information—such as CNIC copies, call logs, residential addresses, and international travel records—was being traded online at alarmingly low prices.
According to reports, mobile location data was being sold for as little as Rs500, while full mobile usage records were available for Rs2,000 and travel details for Rs5,000.
In a statement, the PTA confirmed that 1,372 platforms had been taken down under its ongoing crackdown on illegal content. The regulator clarified that the compromised datasets were obtained from multiple external sources and not from licensed telecom operators, which remain the only entities legally authorized to manage and store subscriber data.
The leaked information reportedly included family details, vehicle registrations, CNIC images, and travel history. However, PTA stressed that no breach had been detected within the licensed telecom sector.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has ordered a high-level probe, directing the National Cybercrimes Investigation Agency to investigate the breach and submit a report within 14 days.
This is the latest in a troubling series of cyber incidents. In May 2025, Pakistan’s National Cybercrime Emergency Response Team had already warned that the login credentials of over 180 million Pakistani internet users were compromised in a massive global breach.
