Islamabad:

Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) cracked down on criminals using foreign mobile phone -Sim cards and rounded 44 suspects from different parts of the country, a senior official in the agency’s cyber crime wing said Friday.

When he spoke at a news conference, Waqaruddin Syed said, the extra Director General of FIA Cyber ​​Crime Wing that British pre-activated SIM cards seemed to the most popular among those involved in cyber crime in Pakistan.

“New methods are used to harass people, and a way is the use of foreign mobile simmer [Subscriber Identity Modules] Used in cybercrime, such as economic fraud, kidnapping for ransom, child pornography and terrorism, “Syed told a press conference in the federal capital.

“For the most part, British Sims are used in Pakistan because these are easily accessible on the market and are also cheap. Criminal user foreign Sims extensively to hide their identity. Abuse of these Sims is a criminal offense in Pakistan,” he added.

According to Syed, FIA 21 cases against illegal buying and selling international Sims registered and arrested 44 suspects. He also said that 8,363 British Sims were recovered in Raids in various cities, including Multan, Lahore, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Sukkur and Abbottabad.

“These Sims are illegally brought to Pakistan and purchased through online orders – cash on delivery – through social media platforms such as Tiktok, Instagram and Facebook,” Syed said, adding that the FIA ​​took steps towards those involved in it under the cyber crime law.

The FIA ​​official asked the social media companies to keep the data from the users of these Sims, for if such Sims were linked to terrorism or other abominable crimes, strict action would be taken against their users. However, he assured that there would be no problem for those who used such Sims legally.

“A nationwide crash has been launched. This crash is just the beginning and additional actions will be taken to eradicate cybercrime from Pakistan. Pakistan’s government will raise this case with the British authorities,” he said.

PTA -RAID

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Zonal offices in Sukkur and Faisalabad, in collaboration with FIA Cyber ​​Crime Wing, successfully carried out attacks aimed at illegal issuing and sale of pre-enabled international and local Simmers.

In SUKKUR, a RAID in the Clock Tower led to confiscation two international Sims and five pre-activated jazz-sim cards. According to a news announcement on Friday, the store owner was taken into custody by the FIA ​​and a four has been filed.

In Faisalabad, Faisalabad was performed common raids in three places, resulting in the arrest of two people involved in the illegal sale of international Sims. The recovered SIMs have been seized and FIRs are under process. Further investigations and litigation are underway.