ISLAMABAD: Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Major General (R) Hafeez-ur-Rehman, confirmed on Friday that the personal data of Pakistani citizens has been found on the dark web. The revelation came during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology and Telecommunication, chaired by Senator Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan, where recent reports of a telecom sector data breach were discussed.
“A report surfaced three weeks ago indicating that some Pakistani citizens’ data had appeared on the dark web. Upon verification, we found that personal data of Pakistani citizens was indeed available there,” the PTA Chairman said. He disclosed that the leaked data includes copies of national identity cards (CNICs), travel history, and mobile SIM details.
Read More: Pakistan clarifies Saudi defence pact is ‘purely defensive’
Explaining the data structure, he noted that mobile SIM data is maintained separately by each telecom operator, not in a centralized database. “What’s alarming is how this scattered data ended up collectively on the dark web,” he remarked. He added that even data of individuals who applied for Hajj had been compromised and was now accessible online.
The PTA Chairman said authorities are analyzing the leaked information to determine whether it is old or part of a more recent breach. He confirmed that the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) is actively investigating the matter. He further revealed that a complete data profile of an individual can be purchased on the dark web for as little as Rs500.
