ISLAMABAD:
Websites openly selling citizens’ data on the internet have yet to be shut down while the team formed earlier this month to probe the data leak has requested three more weeks to finalize its report.
Federal Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi September 7 took notice of the illegal sale of citizens’ private data on various internet platforms after Express News highlighted the issue in an exclusive report. Express News had brought the issue into the spotlight first in October 2024.
According to the Express News report, private data of Pakistani citizensfrom federal ministers and senior government officials to ordinary peoplewas available for sale on various websites without any government authority taking any action.
Acting on the minister’s direction, National Cybercrime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) Director General Waqaruddin Syed had formed a seven-member special investigation team and directed it to submit a report within 14 days.
However, sources revealed that before the expiry of the 14 days, the team wrote to the DG stating that it required an additional three weeks for a thorough probe to determine when and where the data leak occurred.
Sources further said that the NCCIA chief has directed the special team to submit an interim report detailing progress made so far.
Meanwhile, websites selling data continue to operate unabated, and institutions including the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) have so far failed to block them. Express News contacted the PTA spokesperson but he did not respond till the time of filing the report.
Express News received reports from several citizens that not only are such websites selling data, but some individuals are also using WhatsApp groups and Facebook pages to trade this information.
