Islamabad:
Websites that openly sell citizens’ data on the Internet have not yet been closed while the team was formed earlier this month to investigate the data leak has requested three more weeks to complete its report.
Federal Minister of Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi 7th September noted the illegal sale of citizens’ private data on various internet platforms after Express News highlighted the question in an exclusive report. Express News had brought the question into the limelight first in October 2024.
According to the Express News report, private data from Pakistani citizens – from federal ministers and senior government officials to ordinary people – were available for sale on different sites without any government authority taking any action.
The action in the direction of the minister had the National Cybercrime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) Director General Waqaruddin Syed formed a seven-member specifically investigative team and instructed it to submit a report within 14 days.
However, sources revealed that the team wrote before the 14 days to DG stating that it required another three weeks for a thorough probe to decide when and where the data leak took place.
Sources also said that the NCCIA chief has instructed the special team to submit a temporary report that has been made so far.
In the meantime, websites that sell data are continuing unabated, and institutions, including Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), have so far not managed them. Express News contacted the PTA spokesman, but he did not respond until the time of filing the report.
Express News received reports from multiple citizens that not only such sites sell data, but some individuals also use WhatsApp groups and Facebook pages to trade with this information.
